Princess of Sorrow
by Getti
Summary: COMPLETE. And old. Really only up here for Author's nostalgia, complete with bad spelling, OCs and pre-teen fangirling.
1. Beginnings

_Hey there all, so this is the revised version of PoS. I haven't touched it in about a year :ducks rotten veggies thrown from random directions:_

_I know! I know! But I decided (after an inspirational review from Ryo and reading others on the page) to update AND change all the spelling errors. Here you are now, the finished product. Well, I SAY finished, I mean getting there..._

A fic about the series from another person's point of veiw. This is my second fic with one of my own characters in it (well two technically) And I'm not sure if people are gonna' like it, but I hope you do. Have fun!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pretear or anything involved with it. Though I do own Maikeru and Hime!

**Princess of Sorrow**

Hime sat on the grubby seat of the bus, staring vacantly at a glob of chewing gum on the floor. The headphones she had on crackled violently as she flicked through the stations.

"...And I am unable to accept the things around me."

She stopped there. This was Sasame's show. His calming voice flowed through the 'phones into her ears.

"Well Miss Silk, you seem to have lost someone very dear to you. I know how you must feel as I was once in the same situation."

Trees and cars slid by in whirl of silent colours, and the bus jutted to a stop. Hime stood up and walked down the narrow isle, her shoes tapping on the polished floor.

The bus stop wasn't far from her house, but she didn't want to go there, not to that place. Instead she pressed on through the crowd towards a place she knew she could be alone.

The park, when she reached it, was empty. The little fountain in the middle bubbled away and birds chirruped noisily. There was a clump of hedges at the far end, she clambered through these and emerged into a sun dappled clearing. It was only big enough for three people, but it was quiet and Hime liked that. The hedge surrounded her, unbroken on all sides except for a tree that was covered in pink blossom. Its rough trunk stood out from the hedge proudly. She sat with her back against it and listened to the radio. But it was so easy for her to do that. The radio didn't require anything, you didn't have to talk to it and you couldn't hurt its feelings. But, perhaps more importantly, it couldn't hurt you either.

Her gaze slid over the grass in front of her, then back down to her lap. Her hands rested there, crushing tiny creases into her school skirt.

Hime winced as a bright light stung her eyes. She looked down at what had caused the flash. A silver bracelet on her wrist winked up at her, the sunlight dancing playfully across its surface. She slid her finger along the thin band. She could feel the engravings under her finger tip, they were strange. No-one had seen the markings before, and there was no record of them in books or on the internet.

Suddenly a flame of bright black light shot up in front of her, making her gasp. There, on the grass, stood a tall man. His clothes were unusual, he wore nothing that was not either black, or a dark shade of purple. The whole ensable was topped off by a black, knee length cape.

Short black hair slid down over his dark eyes and he wore the same thin, silver band around his wrist.

"Good afternoon Hime." He said, his voice as charming as his face. Hime turned off the radio and removed the earphones. "Was that...was it Sasame?" He asked. She looked up and smiled.

"Yes." She answered. There was a pause before she carried on."How do you know Sasame?" Hime looked at him questioningly, he couldn't know Sasame. The reason was...He wasn't alive. The man was called Maikeru, and he, silly as it sounds, seemed to occupy her bracelet.

She didn't know much about his past, only that he had died during a great battle.

"I...I heard you listening to him." That would make sense. Her and Maikeru shared a bond, Hime thought it was through the bracelet, and sometimes he could use her senses. hear what she heard, see what she saw. Some would call him a ghost, but Hime thought that a much to inhuman term. He was a spirit, trapped in the bracelet for a reason unknown to her.

"I should go home." Hime said, standing up.

"You still havn't been fostered?" There was nothing she could hide from him. She sighed and fiddled with her radio.

"No, but I'm old enough to leave that stupid childrens home now. No-one seems to want me around anyway." Blinking the tears away from her eyes, she looked up. "But I still have you." Maikeru smiled. It was a rare thing, but his smile could melt even the coldest of hearts.

Their gazes were locked until a loud roar broke the still evening air. Maikeru swivelled around and stood over her protectivly. Hime wasn't sure what he could do though, whatever it was would go sraight through him.

A long, green tentacle crashed out suddenly from the bushes. She sprang up, her long blond hair obscuring her veiw. She just avoided it, whatever 'it'was. Picking up a stick, she managed to keep the thing at bay until another wrapped itself around her waist. She struggled to untangle it but it wouldn't budge. The other tied itself around the tree. Dark, black _nothing_ spread down the trunk, as if sucking the life from the tree, leaving only grey. It ate its way across the branches, and began on the hedge. She suddenly felt very tired, and wanted nothing more than to curl up on the floor and sleep. Maybe she should just give up...

A brilliant light slashed across the two tentacles and they exploded into grey whisps of fading maybe. Hime was flung to the ground, but kept conciousness long enough to see a human shape slice through the rest of the green vines before darkness invaded her eyes.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She woke to Maikeru's concerned face.

"Where is it! We have to run!" She rasped, her throat parched.

"Sshh, it's alright, it was dealt with. I thought you were going to die or something."

"But how?"

" It just was, now it's over and we can just forget about it." Hime was about to protest, but a stranger looked down on her.

"Are you alright?" He asked. " I heard a yell and thought you were in trouble..." He was tall, and wore a white suit. His long blond hair was up in a ponytail on the top of his head and he looked tanned.

"I..." She thought of Maikeru."...I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look shaken."

"No, honestly, I was just resting." He didn't look convinced.

"I'm going to get us something to drink, and I won't take no for an answer." Reluctantly, Hime let him help her up and walk her to a cafe. He ordered tea and she had water. He offered to get some food as well, but Hime's stomach was already doing backflips and she didn't think she could hold anything down.

"So, your name is Hime? Nice to meet you, I'm Kei." Hime smiled weakly.

"Thank you." There was an uneasy silence as Hime argued whether or not to ask. Eventually her more curious side won. "Did you, was there something back there?" Kei thought about this for a moment.

" Yes. Though I couldn't see what it was." Hime was dissapointed. She wanted to know what had attacked her.

" Why? Did it hurt you?"

"Um, my parents will be worried about me, I'd better go." She got up hurridly and grabbed her satchel, funny, she didn't remember bringing it back. She began to run when there was a tinkle behind her.

" Wait! You dropped this." Kei's voice came from over her shoulder. She looked down at her wrist. No bracelet.

She didn't want to go back, but just her luck...

She turned and walked back to Kei, who was now standing up.

"What strange symbols..." He muttered. Hime stood next to him shuffling her feet. If Maikeru was there she couldn't see him, but she could just imagine the expression on his face. The lecture she'd have to sit through later would be so boring. She'd have to go through repetitions of 'you shouldn't be out so late' and 'come straight back from school', not to mention the grounding she'd get...

"Where did you get this?" Kei's voice shattered her self pity.

"Huh? Oh, that. I found it." She answered.

"Oh, it's...pretty." Kei said, handing it back to her.

"Thanks. Like I said I have to...-"

"Go, yes. Goodbye then, it was nice meeting you." He smiled. Hime smiled back.

"You too."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When she reached the Sunnydale Children's Home it was dark. She sneeked in on tiptoe up to her room. When the door of her room was carefully closed Maikeru spoke.

"I told you to forget it." His tone was sharp, and Hime winced as he talked.

"I just wanted to know what it was, that's all. You know, in case it came back." She answered carefully. What was so wrong with him? Maybe he was peeved at her going off with another man. Maikeru was staring out of the window, and suddenly changed the subject.

"Who's that new girl at your school?" Hime was surprised. Whatever, she thought, I'd rather not talk about it anyway.

"Who, Himeno? She's not exactly new any more. She's been there a long time now." Maikeru looked, if it was possible, even more miffed than he had before. But he kept his cool.

"Oh."

"Apparently, her step mother is Natsue Awayuki." Maikeru gave her a look of why-do-I-care-? and Hime sighed. "This is Awayuki town. She owns it." He nodded at this. "Anyway, you can bog off now. I'm going to bed and I don't want you perving." Maikeru rolled his eyes, but swiftly vanished in a flash of black flame.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Weeks passed, offering nothing but more of the same. The holidays began and Hime was glad not to have to go through the torture of school. She went to the tiny clearing almost every day, the little cafe too, but never once saw Kei. She wasn't even sure why she was looking for him. There was just something about him, something that reminded her of Maikeru. But what was it?

He didn't have Maikeru's smile, or his deep eyes, or his slender fingers and soft touch...

_Shut up!_ Maikeru's voice slashed through her thoughts. Hime turned a deep, strawberry shade of red, she forgot he could sometimes hear her thoughts.

_You shouldn't be listening in anyway!_

_It's still disgusting. And how can I have a 'gentle touch'? I'm dead remember._

_Yeah whatever._

_Watch out!_ Hime threw herself to the ground as a flaming fireball sizzled through the air above her head. She turned to see the bushes behind her singed and steaming, and a hole that went right through the whole hedge. Hime walked to where the hedge ended and peered around it cautiously. A huge maggot-like monster was writhing around like a snake in the park beyond, lashing out with tentacles like those that got her. This must be what attacked her that time! She gasped as a man dressed in red hit the floor next to her. He pulled himself back up and threw a fireball like the one that nearly killed her. It hit the monster but seemed to have no effect. She realised that there were quite a few people there, but they seemed to be flying. Flying?

A sound next to her brought her back to earth, looking down she saw a little boy. He had blond hair and looked about five. He was wearing a strange outfit that was green, it had a cape and a hat, and he wore a necklace. The necklace levitated in his hands and let off a red light. Hime jumped back but tripped and fell on her rear, and watched in silence as vines grew from the ground, entwining together to create a dome shaped cage. The cage itself let off another red light and Hime thought it was going to explode, but instead it just disappeared. Disappeared completely into thin air.

She stood up and walked to where the edge of the cage had been and reached out for it. There. Her hand hit something invisible and a flicker of something painted the air in front of her. She hit the cage and saw it appear, like the screen of a laptop, it rippled. The familiar black flicker of Maikeru appeared beside her.

"What is this?" She asked outright. Something inside her told her Maikeru would know.

"What's what?" He asked back. Hime could tell he was lying, but humored him anyway.

"This." She said slamming her fist hard into the surface of the cage.

"Oh, that." Hime watched him for a second before geting impatient.

"Well?"

"'Well' what?"

"WHAT IS IT?" She yelled. Maikeru sighed.

"I can't hide anything from you for long, can I?" Hime shook her head, he was obviously about to tell her something big. "It's a containment shield."

"And that would be...?"

"A shield that contains things." She gave him an evil look."It's used to contain battles. To make sure they don't effect the rest of the world or hurt anyone who isn't fighting." Hime looked at the ground, trying to take it all in. It was a bit unbelievable. But there it was, right in front of her, or not. She hit it again to make sure.

"But...Why is it here? There's no wars or anything going on at the moment."

"Well actually..." Maikeru began but was cut off when there was another flash of red. The shield that Hime's hand had been resting on was gone and she wobbled, losing her balance. The little boy that she'd seen earlier was suddenly next to her again, and there was another group of people in the park.

"Damn, caught." The man she'd seen before was one of them, only now he wasn't wearing red. There were two other children there, one with white hair and one with orange. There were four adults and a girl. There was the Red Man, a man with long blue hair up in band, another with grey-white hair and glasses and...

"Himeno...and Kei"

"What?" Maikeru asked. "Never mind, look out, here they come!" Hime looked up to see Kei walking towards her, a worried look on his face. The others were following him and the white haired kid kept talking.

"I told you." He said. "I told you I saw someone."

"Hime?" She gulped, what had she got herself into this time?

"Hi. Ha, we meet at the weirdest of times." She laughed nervously.

"We have something to tell you."

"Um, you do?"

"Yes, something very important. You see, you're in a lot of danger." Hime's stomach flipped. It was all just to wierd. Spirits, flying people, monsters and containment shields. It was like being in a really bad horror movie. And now _she _was in _danger?_ Oh Kami, she thought, this is bad. A bunch of strangers just killed a giant maggot and want to help her. What should she do? "Let's sit down." Kei offered, gesturing to a nearby bench. She gave Maikeru a look of a-little-help-here, but he just shrugged. He couldn't do anything, so she sat.

"First of all, there's this thing called leafe..."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Yay! My first Pretear fanfic done. I used Kei a lot, but nothing really happened to him in the series so... I hope you liked it, Maikeru being a ghost is a bit weird but if you havn't got it already there is going to be an explanation soon. There will be another chapter in a bit and please review cause I just love reviews!

Forgetful


	2. A new world

Here you go, chapter two. Not amazingly good, but the story does get better, I promise. Anyway, have fun reading and I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own pretear or any of the characters except Hime and Maikeru who are my own.

**Chapter 2**

Princess of Sorrow

Hime stared, unseeing at the ground.

" You don't believe us, do you?" Kei asked, sounding as if he'd expected it.

" No, no, it's not that. I just don't understand, what has this got to do with me?" Hime questioned. Maikeru stood unmoving beside her, and, like everyone else, the knights-as they'd dubbed theselves-could not see him.

" Well these monsters, these demons, they seem to keep turning up around you. We noticed this, and though only one has so far managed to hurt you, we still fear for your safety." The bench Hime and Kei sat on creaked terribly as Hime fidgeted. All around were the other, what was it? Oh yes, leafe knights. There were four young men, and three kids, the oldest of which looked around ten or eleven. The information swam around her head; monsters, magical powers, great evils and princesses. It was like a book or a horror film. Her whole life seemed warped, this massive cover-up, this conspiricy had always been there. And she had been one with everyone else, in happy ignorance, but now she'd been plucked out and dumped in this new world of joint wonder and terror, which disgusted her. 'Why her?' Was probably a question she should have considered, but there seemed no point in going over any whys. Except, perhaps, why these monsters wanted to kill her.

" I still...don't understand. What is it that attracts these, these..creatures, to me? I'm in no way magical." Hime asked, her voice shaking with fear and pure confusion.

" We don't know yet."

" Oh! I just want to say no! Say that I don't believe you. But I can't, because I've seen the evil you're talking about. Please just...let this be a dream!" Hime's form crumpled into a ball. Her head hung in her hands and her knees were drawn up. The long, pleated skirt she was wearing let its white ruffles fall about her, and her hair covered evrything else.

" We are trying to find what it is, but we thought that you would be a lot safer knowing the danger you are in." Sasame reasoned. Hime shook her head slightly, and her hair rippled. Suddenly she sprang up and ran for the park entrance, Maikeru close behind. No-one objected, and so she was gone in an instant.

" I'll follow her, and call you if there are any transport demons." Sasame offered. The others nodded their approval and he disappeared in a blinding purple light.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Hime sped through the emptying streets, past cars and people, across the beach, until she reached the river. Here she collapsed to her knees, and began to sob violently. It just wasn't fair. Some people would give their right leg for an experiance like this, to be looked after by magical beings and be part of the destruction of an evil plot, but not her. Ever since she had been little, all she had ever wanted was a normal family, living in a normal house and going to a normal school. She'd wanted brothers and sisters, an ordinary life, but even that was to much to ask for. And now the unstable foundations of her life had been crippled and thrown to the side. She looked at her reflection in the water. A blue eyed girl looked up at her, those eyes were filled with lonliness and fear. Blond hair danced in the breeze, along with the two white ribbons in her hair that held two buns. Trees behind her looked down on the tiny white girl, along with a dark figure.

_:I don't know what to say.:_

_:Then say nothing.:_

_:Are you sure you can cope with this:_

_Silence._

_:Hime? Speak to me.:_

_:I hate my life. And yet I can't complain. There are people who are worse off than me. I have no right to cry.:_

_:Of course you do, everyone has the right to cry.: _Maikeru moved out into the pale sunlight. The breeze didn't disturb his black cloak, nor his dark hair, causing an aura of peace to surround him. Hime tore her eyes away and looked back into the water.

_:I want to remain unchanging. Just to be left in peace, still, like the water.:_ Hime looked at the smooth surface of the river, not a single break in its cover. Maikeru came and sat by her, and brushed at a leaf. He didn't touch it, he couldn't, but a tiny breeze moved it onto the water. Perhaps all ghosts could do that, Hime didn't know.

_:But the water isn't still. The leaf breaks its surface and the river moves it along. It's just an illusion, like everything else, it has to change.:_

_:Not everything.:_

_:Huh:_

_:You don't.: _Maikeru looked away. He said nothing, and Hime immidiatly regretted saying it.-AN-Well not saying but you know.-She knew that he hated having to remain still and lifeless, that he longed to return to her world. She had forgotten that his family were practically dead to him, like hers.

_:I'm...Sorry Maikeru. I didn't mean..:_

_:I know what you meant. You're upset. But think about this logically, if you can be protected by these people then do be, I can't protect you from those creatures.: _Hime thought about this. Maikeru was right, she couldn't stay safe on her own.

_:Thank you.:_

_:Always here to help.:_

" I'm going to change." With a determined look, Hime ran back out into the street, past the beach, back to the park.

When she finally got there, no-one remained. Her heart sank, she had missed her chance.

" Looking for us?" She span round to see one of the leafe knights leaning against a tree. He had silverish hair, and glasses."You changed your mind?"

" Yes. Everything has to change." Sasame smiled. So, she did have some sense.

" Good. Come with me and I'll introduce you to the others." He said calmly. Hime followed him, quite happy and at ease, she could be safe now. He led her out of the park and back to the little cafe where Kei had taken her. There must be something about it, something magical.

" Great! You got her to understand?" Out of the cafe came a waiter, he had been one of the group in the park, Hime felt a fool. The cafe wasn't magical, he just worked there.

" No, she did that on her own." Silver-haired man said.

" Hey, guess we'd better tell you who we are." The waiter concluded, pulling out a chair. Hime sat on it cautiously, it was more intimidating with two of them. The waiter pulled out a chair for himself, and him and the silver-haired man sat down. " My name is Go, and I am the Leafe Knight of fire. Nice to meet you." The waiter said, beaming a grin.

" And I am Sasame, Leafe Knight of sound." Hime's head shot up.

" _The _Sasame? From the radio show?" She asked. What a small world.

" The very one." He answered, also smiling. Maikeru suddenly appeared beside Sasame, and looked at him.

_:So you agreed:_

_:Yup. Thanks for the advice, I don't know what I would have done had you not been there.:_

_:Something stupid probably.: _Hime was about to shout back at the very top of her mental lungs, but Sasame butted in.

" Hey! Hayate!" A large figure strode up to the table. He had long blue hair tied back, and was very tall. Heck, they were _all_ tall. And all stunningly handsome. There must be something in that magic, maybe they were immortal too.

" Hayate, this is...who are you?" Go asked. Hime went red.

" I'm Hime Karoshama." She mumbled.

" Right, this is Hime. Hime, this is Hayate, knight of the wind." Hime looked at him and he gave a nod. She nodded back, he obviously wasn't much of a talker.

" She's the one the demons are attracted too. Do you think...?" Hayate looked at the other two.

" We haven't tried." Go said. Hadn't tried what? Hime was becoming more nervous.

" Hime, would you mind taking hold of my hand for a second?" What! That was to weird. Hime felt like running away, but then she remembered what Maikeru said.

_:Go on, take it.: _Speak of the devil. Hime reached out and took Sasame's hand. He braced himself for a shock, but nothing happened. A great sigh went around the group and Hime let go.

" No then. Good, that's one problem we don't have to deal with." Hayate said, coldly.

"Um, sorry but...what problem would that have been?"

" You might have been another pretear." Hime remembered 'pretear', Kei had explained. The knights could merge with her and give her powers. She was the one who had the power to kill the monsters.

" I'm not am I! Oh please say I'm not!" Hime pleaded.

" No." Hayate replied, again cold. A flood of releif washed through her, and she found herself letting out a sigh.

" Where are the others? There were children with you last time." Hime asked, she found heself strangly interested in this new world, perhaps change wasn't so bad after all.

" Yes, there are four more of us. Kei, who you know, Mannen, Shin and Hajime." Sasame explained. Go chimed in.

" Sasame, can you get them here? They're out searching for Himeno." Sasame looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said,

" They're coming." Silence then fell down like an invisible veil, and Hime felt she had to break it.

" I don't mean to be rude, but, could I please have some proof that what you're telling me about is true?" For a moment they all looked stunned, and then seemed to agree that someone might want proof of such things.

" It is to be expected, but what can we show her, since she's not a pretear?" Sasame pondered.

" Here. I'll bring up a wind, it's the least obvious." Heyate offered. The others mumbled their agreement and he twitched his hand. Out of nowhere a huge gust of wind blew, almost nocking Hime off her chair.

" Wow, that's amazing! I expect you all do things like that?" Hime commented, happily basking in the glow of such amazing abilities."I wish I could."

" Yup, we all can. But Himeno has the most power." Go smiled.

" Hey Go! Is this the new girl?"

" Is she a pretear like Himeno?"

" Why is she here?" Excited little voices babbled up from behind Hime. She turned to see the three children, Kei and Himeno Awayuki.

" Hime!"

" Himeno!" They both exclaimed at once. " You're the pretear?" Hime asked, completely in awe.

" Yes, are you one too?" Himeno said, confusion crumpling her face.

" No, but I seem to be connected to the monsters somehow."

" Transport demons? But..."

" Demon Larvea." Everyone stopped for a second and looked at Hayate, he was staring into some bushes not far from the cafe.

" He's right, I can feel it too." Himeno agreed. The atmosphere changed from cheerful confusion to deathly seriousness.

" Let's go, Sasame pret with me!" Himeno held out her hand to Sasame who nodded and took it. Immidiatly a huge white light blinded them all, and when it receeded only Himeno remained. She was now wearing a purple and white dress. Hime looked round, all the knights were wearing something different, even the kids. They all looked...A bit stupid. Even in such a serious situation Hime found it hard not to laugh.

" Hime, you won't see us much, but if you see a demon, call. Sasame will hear you." With that they all flew off. That's right, _flew_. Now Hime really did believe them.

_:Come on, they'll be busy. Lets go home.:_

_:Okay.:_ Hime walked off, her hand caressing her bracelet.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Many more weeks passed, and only one demon ever came near Hime. But she did hear them around twenty times, on different occasions, and saw the flash of one of the knights. This was comforting, in a way, if she ignored the part about giant leafe consuming monsters wanting to suck life life out of her.

One morning though, was just like every other day. Hime got up, got dressed and went into the living room. Kids were everywhere. Sitting on the sofa, charging round the room, playing with dolls, she sighed and was about to leave when something caught her eye. A blown up version of Himeno's school picture was on the screen of the television. Hime strained to hear the news-man's voice.

" Himeno Awayuki has been missing for two days now, and now the weekend is over police are becoming worried." Hime ignored the rest and darted out of the house. She ran to school to see if anyone knew anything. Her and Himeno had become quite good friends once they had found out the problem they both shared, they would talk about the knights. She barged into the classroom and everything was in a hush of gossip. Hime joined the nearest group and began listening.

" Well I heard she ran away." Said one girl.

" No, that's not it. Natsue chucked them out, Himeno's father clearly only married her for the money. When Himeno heard this she left."

" That's the same as running away!"

"Whatever." Hime left the group and sat down. It had to have something to do with the knights, maybe Himeno had got really badly injured, maybe she could be about to die? These thoughts buzzed around Hime's head all that day.

The bell for home-time sounded, and Hime walked solemly along Awayuki bridge to the home. A boy ran up behind her and shoved her into the side of the bridge. He was out of sight in no time but Hime still made a rude sign, though she was doubled over winded. She eventually stood up, using the side of the bridge for support. She leaned over the side and saw some figures below her. There were eight, and one had bright pink hair...

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Well, there you have it. I've already written chapter three, that'll be up soon. I have to warn you though, my mum is getting rid of the internet. Not sure when that's gonna be, but I might suddenly not be on for a year. Sorry if that happens. Anyway, chapter three up tomorrow perhaps. Have to wait and see. Please reveiw!


	3. Evil revealed

Hey! It's chapter three. Not lost the internet yet, but just wait. This is a long chapter, but read it anyway, it's good. I finally introduce Takako. Oh, and thank you to Magical Poof, I read your reveiw and then read a couple of the 'Mediator' books, they are a bit like my fanfic but won't be for long! For those who don't know what I'm on about, it has something with Maikeru being a ghost, or not as the case may be...Anyway, I know it's confusing, but now when Maikeru and Hime talk through their minds, the text will be surrounded by these -. The reason? I had some problems. The origional things I used wouldn't show when I uploaded the fic. So I'm sorry if it's confusing.

_As some of you may have noticed, their mind talking is surrounded by , this will stay the same. It's all part of the revamp, people. :grin: Also, they usually only mind-talk when people are around or it's an embarrassing/important situation._

Disclaimer: I don't own pretear or its characters, just Maikeru and Hime.

**Chapter 3**

Princess of Sorrow

Hime walked perposfully down the long Awayuki drive. She had no idea what she would say, but she'd have to tell them in person as she didn't have their phone number or email. She thought about the police, but who would beleive that she saw Himeno Awayuki under Awayuki bridge, surrounded by knights, wearing a dress one minute and her school uniform the next? No, that would just result in difficulties. Instead here she was.

When she reached the main courtyard there was commotion. A small, balding man was ordering maids about, each maid carrying a box of some kind. Hime didn't speculate about the contents of the boxes. A young woman with long pink hair drew her gaze back to the balding man, she was yelling at him furiously about a break. She watched the two with curiosity, no-one noticed her and so she wasn't worried about being sighted. The man pointed over the young woman's shoulder, and she yelled some more. Hime followed his finger with her eyes, past the woman, to...

Hime gasped. A woman stood, dark hair cascading down her back, a strange purple dress billowing in the wind that seemed to have just started up. Hime shivered, the woman's prensence made her uncomfortable. The pink haired girl, presumably Miyune Awayuki, walked towards the stranger with a look of anger furrowing her face.

" Who is this freak? Hey you, what are you doing here? This isn't a cos' play convention you know!" The woman ignored her and Miyune became even more angry. "Hey!" Suddenly her cries stopped and she looked in horror at the ground the woman had just walked across. It was dark, the same dark that Hime had seen so many times in her nightmares, and out of that dark came the Demon Larvea. Their pink tentacles lapped the ground around each other.

"Ahhh! What the heck are these things!" Miyuni ran, and if it had been any other time Hime would have laughed, she ran like a headless chicken. The maids scattered, the tiny man came to help but was hastily thrown into the air by a Demon Larvea. They chased Miyune towards the house, where Mr. Awayuki dived to push her out of the way of an advancing Demon. Now fully grown, the monsters began their deadly march towards the two who had been joined by Natsue Awayuki. Hime was rooted to the spot, she could face these things with the knights, yes. But now, alone and defencless, fear overtook her already unstable heart.

"Are you alright?" Hime's eyes swivelled round and rested on the steadfast form of Himeno. Relief swept over her like a tide as she saw the other knights there, already dealing with the larvea.

"Hime! Run to the trees, the knights don't need you distracting them." Turning once more she was drawn to the serious face of Maikeru. She gave a swift nod and bolted towards the young trees to her left, she would have front row seats for the battle. She realised she'd never actually seen one before.

The only sounds audible were the roars of the Demons, they echoed around the grounds giving the impression of more than there were. It was strange watching the Awayuki family talk to eachother silently, Hime had to guess the words.

" What's going on?" Maikeru asked.

"Not much. This lady turned up..." Hime looked around the devastated courtyard for any sign of the dark, forbidding lady, but there were none. She searched until the floor in front of her was ripped up as Himeno destroyed the Demons. When the immidiate threat was over, her family turned flabberghast to Himeno. The young wind pretear attempted to explain hastily.

"I just knew you weren't human!" Miyune accused. Himeno chose to ignore the comment.

" Sorry, I'll explain everything later." She said." Say, where's Mawata?"

"Miss Mawata is here." They all looked towards the roof where Sasame and Mawata stood together.

"Sasame!" Himeno exclaimed.

" Mawata!" Mr. Awayuki cried.

" Just what the heck are you doing there?" Miyune added. Mawata just stood there watching them all, seemingly unaffected by the people below.

" It's dangerous, you should come down right this moment!" Her mother spoke quickly, obviously unsettled by everything that had happened in that short amount of time. Himeno was silent until anger overwhelmed her and she realised what was going on.

" Sasame, just what have you done to her?" She said furiously.

Hime watched this all with a growing sense of fear, Sasame brought with him danger. She thought he was ill, but now...Perhaps that lady had something to do with it? Perhaps she was the one sending out transport demons...

" Oh nothing really." Sasame said calmly." Just saved her from being forever trapped in solitude." His voice became angry and slightly intimidating. Sasame had changed, and Hime didn't like the new model.

" Why you!" Go flew up into the air at the evil Sasame. Kei was calling out behind him to stop. "Sasame!" He cried as he hit a purple barrier. The fire knight was thrown back to the ground and only just managed to land on his feet.

" What I hit?" Hime was worried now, why was Mawata up there? She didn't looked scared so Hime presumed she was up there of her own free will, but why would she want to be with someone so cold hearted? As that was certainly the impression that Sasame gave her of himself now.

Kei asked the question that hung on all their lips. "What is the meaning of her involvment in this Sasame?"

"Return Mawata to us!" Himeno was breaking, her eyes had tears brimming, threatening to overflow.

" Fine, if she wants to return then she is free to do so." Everyone looked up in confusment. Sasame looked smug. " So you were oblivious to it? Oblivious to how deeply she's been scarred?" Hime turned and covered her ears. This was not happening. Only moments before she had felt wanted and safe, protected by the leafe knights. Now it was all falling apart. The unknown force which threatened her had Sasame, and the other knights just accepted it. Her friend had been taken and she had not even been told. The bitter slap of real life hit her full force in the face. Nothing would ever be easy for her, she'd just been in the eye of the storm. She was aware of Maikeru's presence still behind her, but she didn't care. She just sat there contemplating her fate, always to be alone.

_:You're not alone.:_ Her head snapped up.

_:That girl up there, she's alone. But not you.:_ Hime realised he was right. she was not alone, in a sense. She would always have Maikeru. The always echoed in her mind. Alwaysalwaysalwaysalways...

The she realised it was being spoken by Mawata.

" Always always always alone!" The girl was crying, tears of anger, frustration and resentment filled her eyes. She was screaming down at her parents, at her sisters, at the world. Only then did everyone realise that what she said made sense, it was true.

" But I don't care any more." A gasp went around the group. Would she do something stupid, would Sasame do something stupid? Hime felt her problems were nothing compared to this girl's. How foolish, selfish and naive she had been, to think of herself over others.

" Now I have Sasame comfort me." A single thought flashed through Hime's mind. Surely not...?

" I'm not alone any more. Not any more." Mawata was smiling, smiling until laughter came from above. The air rippled and shimmered as if in summer heat, and in a second a woman was there. Not just any woman, but the woman who had been there when the demons had appeared. Sasame turned to look at her, it was his turn to smile.

" Well done Sasame." Her voice was filled with broken dreams and hatred. Once again Hime felt her life could not have compared to what this woman had gone through, yet she didn't _know_ what she'd gone through. The woman just seemed to radiate sorrow. Sasame flew up from Mawata, and she reached up to unsuccessfully stop him leaving. He slid through the air and embraced the woman.

" Sasame, what's going on? Who is she?" Mawata's voice was cracking, anything could tip her over the edge.

" So you havn't figured it out yet."

_:We must stop Takako:_

_:Who's Takako:_ Hime's mind was being overloaded with information, to much was happening at once. Once more the woman laughed. She turned her pretty white face towards Sasame.

" As promised, I will set your heart free from its prison Miss Mawata." He looked down at the woman. Their lips moved towards each other and met in an agonising kiss. In that kiss everything shattered, Hime's hopes, Mawata's heart, Himeno's confidence. One simple gesture of love had turned the battle around, and against them.

" No!" Mawata's voice broke Hime's own heart. How, how could Sasame let himself do that to her? She was only young, younger than Hime herself. She watched the girl fall to her knees.Then watched the woman sink down like an inky black stain towards her. She saw the woman talk, though she didn't register what was being said. She was listening to Maikeru's plan to escape, they hadn't been seen, (not that Maikeru could be), so they could just slip away.

_:We can't just leave them:_ Hime was shocked to hear Maikeru say or think such a thing.

_: I know it's just, I...don't want to see you get hurt.:_ Hime smiled inwardly.

_:You might not, but I'm staying.:_ Her mind was set, but was then distracted by a blue light. The woman held it in her hands, and seemed to be happy about it. With a sudden flash Mawata had been consumed by the light and Hime switched back on.

" Your heart, drenched in despair, will become an impenatrable shield that will protect you completely from the tainted world of humans!" The woman was calling out, like a rehersed speach. Calls of 'no!' came from the spectators below, but Hime could only watch as the girl was absorbed.

" And this heart of yours, will also power the great tree of Fenril!" She held out her arms and the ground began to shake. Hime screamed but her shriek was lost in a sea of cries. Roots broke through the ground. Within moments the Awayuki mansion was no more, destroyed by a whirling mass of greenery that climbed towards the sky. The group were protected by Kei and Go who held up their shields, but Hime was not. As the roots lashed towards her, she blacked out.

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Maikeru knew the towns people would have seen the tree by now, and only hoped they'd have the sense to run. The roots had not caught him, instead they slid through him, he was as substantial as mist. No, they had not caught him but...

"Hime!" Miraculously she was alright, and had only fainted. He sent messages into her mind begging her to wake up.

"And so it begins, the end of the world." Maikeru hated that woman. Could she not let him rest, even in death? If only he were human, living, whole...

The tree was whole now, and Takako commanded it to reap the world of all its leafe. 'leave it a world of death, engulfed in darkness.' What a nice veiw on life she must have. He watched her with a scowl as she floated up to a platform at the top of the tree, Sasame still holding her like a child clings to its mother. How could he have not noticed? How could they have all missed that he had been in love with her the whole time?

The tree began to absorb leafe from the earth, and he watched as Himeno flew up to help her step sister. They could not reach her that way. Go up, up! He longed to tell them all how to defeat the tree, yet he was forced by death into eternal silence to all but Hime. That was why he needed her to wake up, to tell them how to win. The whole family were there now. Kei and Go were fighting demon larvea, those without a core. Why send hollow ones?

Since he had no way to answer that question he ignored it. The three youngest knights were sent to help with evacuation. They would have to be out of the way otherwise there would be no more leafe knights to protect the world. They had to survive.

He flew up to the highest platform. Being a ghost he could defy gravity, and there was nothing he could do for Hime, being with her or not. There, among the dark purple crystals, sat Takako, Princess of Disaster. What a crummy name, he thought. Takako waved her hand and on the largest crystal there appeared a vision of Himeno and her family attempting to free Mawata, though the way they were doing it would only entangle her more. Suddenly Takako got angry.

" Why do they not give up! Why don't they give in to dispair?" She screamed. -AN I know she dosn't say that in the series, but she does now.-

" Let me take care of this." Sasame said, floating cooly down to the family trying desperatly to free their loved one. Maikeru followed him, curious to see what he would do. Sasame flew like a bullet at Himeno, she blocked him, only just deflecting his attack. He challenged her to fight or die.

" If those are my choices then I'll fight!" They stood on branches facing eachother. Sasame spoke.

"Arn't you going to use a sword? If you don't, Hayate will be the one who gets hurt." Himeno reluctantly drew the wind sword. Such an obvious, easy to exploit weakness. Hayate did it to, they were afraid of hurting each other. Maikeru survayed the broken scene in front of him. Frustration was building up inside him like a wall, he hated having to watch from the sidelines. Sometimes he wished that he could have just died with the others. The roots of the tree had sneeked into every crack and crevice. It was a web that covered the whole of Awayuki town, maybe even the whole of Tokyo, draining away the world's life source.

_:Hime, wake up! Wake up damn it:_ Nothing. That girl could be taken for dead when she was asleep. His gaze fell once again on the couple in the limbs of the tree.

"She just wanted someone to tell her she wasn't alone!..."

No one is ever alone.

" ...She was totally in love with you!..."

Love can save you from a life of misery.

"...But all you did was manipulate her feelings and use her for evil!..."

But evil cannot love.

"...You didn't save her at all!"

And no-one can save evil.

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Hime woke to the roar of Demons and Mannan yelling close to her.

"Kei! It's Hime, she's over here!" He pointed towards her, and Kei left Go to deal with things.

"What happened? Where is everyone?" She croaked as Kei landed gracefully on the ground beside her. He wrapped his arm around her trembling waist.

"I can't explain now, you shouldn't even be here." He lifted them both off the ground and Hime clung to him. "Just stay here where it's safe." He dropped her gently onto a branch of the tree at the top. No demon larvea would reach her there, and they wouldn't have to worry about her safety. Kei gave her a comforting smile before he left that said it was all going to be fine, and goodbye. That might be the last time he ever saw her, he thought, he might die in the battle with this tree.

Hime watched Kei go back down, the ground looked very far away and she had nowhere to go. She could see Himeno's family ripping at vines in the tree, probably where Mawata was trapped. Kei, Go, Mannan, Hajime and Shin were fighting demons and dragons from the tree. And Himeno was...On the branch below her. Sasame was on another limb facing her and suddenly flew at Himeno.

"Himeno!"

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Maikeru watched in horror as Sasame lunged, sword outstretched at Himeno. She blocked with the wind sword and threw him back to the branch he had been on before. For a moment Sasame appeared stunned, before his hand flew out and a mass of sound sailed towards Himeno. This time she was to late and Hayate had to act as shield. His shout of pain was heard only by Maikeru and Himeno, but another sound mixed with it.

_:Hime:_

_:Maikeru, we have to help her:_

_:I know but how:_

_:I don't know, I'm to weak to fight Sasame. And you're...:_

_:I know. Kei and Go are to busy, and the younger ones would be wiped out in an instant.:_

_:There's nothing we can do.:_ Sasame landed slowly on a lower beam.

"Now Hayate, you can hear me can't you?" He said." If you want Himeno to avoid getting hurt, you have to unpreat with her and fight me yourself. If you continue to fight inside her she will get injured."

"No Hayate! Don't!"

"And if you die, Himeno dies with you." Maikeru's prediction had been correct, and he watched as Himeno struggled to keep the knight inside her. -AN Again I know he doesn't say that, but my DVD always screws up on this part. Massive scratch. (cries) I can't remember what he says.-

"No Hayate! If we don't fight as Pretear there's no way to beat Sasame!" The wind knight ignored her and the blue light of wind came out of her chest. She held on to the glowing orb, but to no avail. The light spread and suddenly in front of her was Hayate.

_:He'll never beat Sasame as a knight! What is he thinking:_

_:I know, but he cares for Himeno to much to let her get hurt.:_

_:But Maikeru, if Sasame kills him, then won't he just go and kill her afterwards:_

_:Probably.:_

_:I'm lost. I feel so frustrated, having nothing I can do to help:_

_:Trust me, I know how you feel.:_

"But why Hayate! Why?"

"I have something to tell you once this battle is over, that's why. I'll be coming back to you." HAyate replied. Maikeru cringed, it was all so cliche. But then again, it fitted Hayate's personality perfectly.

"Alright." Himeno accepted reluctantly. Hayate turned and flew down to Sasame, who was flying away. With a sparkle the wind sword was drawn again, and they were gone.

_:I'm going to follow them.:_

_:Wait! What about me:_ But Maikeru was gone and Hime was alone. She looked down at Himeno, alone in her school uniform on the branch below. For a moment she was still, until with a determined turn she began to climb the tree.

"This war must be ended. I'll see to it!" Hime heard her say under her breath.

"Himeno!" She called, but Himeno did not hear her. She was too set on her task. Himeno was almost level with her now, so, since she had nothing else to do to help, Hime bagan to climb with her.

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Maikeru slid along with the two, they were locked together in a whirl of moves, blocks and thrusts, knowing that with one wrong move they would be killed by the other instantly. Round the tree they flew like a blurr, branches appearing out of nowhere. Maikeru wasn't quick enough to avoid a few of them, but they slid through his dead form harmlessly. How Sasame and Hayate avoided them was beyond him. The battle didn't break until Sasame lobbed a ball of sound at Hayate, it struck and Hayate fell. Landing on a tree brach, he flew back up and chucked his own slice of wind back. It struck Sasame's arm and then they were back to the close sword fighting.

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Hime was so near the top, the crystal balcony was almost within reach. Himeno had climbed onto it only moments before. With one last stretch of her arm, Hime grasped the side of the balcany, and hauled herself up.

What she saw was unlike any other part of the tree. Dark, gleaming purple crystals surrounded her. The floor was a lighter shade and shined brighter that the sun. Himeno was talking to the woman, who seemed to be getting angry.

"Shut up!" Hime gasped as the woman threw a purple ball of light at Himeno. It hit with so much force that she was thrown into a pile of crystals behind her, and she lay there unmoving.

The woman began to laugh hystericly. All pain had vanished from her face.

"As long as you're alive," Himeno struggled, pulling herself up defiantly."As long as you're alive other people will always be able to hurt you in some way. And if you're afraid of that happening how will you ever be able to trust anybody?" She would have gone on, but the woman had spotted Hime.

"What? Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Her eyes narrowed to slits, and Hime stopped. "You, answer me!"

"Fine then! I am Hime Karoshama, and I'm here to tell you to free Mawata and destroy this evil tree!" The woman was silent for a moment before the hysterical laughter began again." Shut up! We will free Mawata, because she's Himeno's family, and because, because I believe we will!"

" Is that so? Then I shall show you the true nature of what you choose to beleive!" She raised her hand and on a crystal nearby there appeared a vision of the Awayuki family once more." Great tree of Fenril!"

Purple lightning danced around the tree, -AN-She likes purple dosn't she?-, and struck the stone. It showed the family getting struck by it too, writhing in pain.

"No! Stop it!" Himeno screamed. She ran to the stone but was thrown back by the lightning.

"Now run away like good humans, and leave Mawata alone." The woman smiled. Himeno struggled back up.

"I won't be defeated." She walked towards the stone and, though the lightning hit her, did not flinch once. She plunged forwards, lightning flashing crazily around the whole balcany. Hime fell onto her knees and covered her head, but still Himeno kept going. In the crystal, the family weren't giving up either. They stood against the lightning and pulled the vines with all their might. Himeno reached forward and touched the stone. They all stood there like that for a few moments before the picture in the crystal showed a bright light. Mawata was free.

"Ha! I told you we'd free her, I told you. Himeno, you did it!" The lightning stopped, and Himeno turned and smiled.

"I did didn't I? Awsome."

"No." They both turned to see the woman cowering in a corner." It can't be." She stood up, disbelief written across her face." Mawata's laughing, how can that be? She's more miserable and pathetic than I ever was." Hime wanted to laugh.

"What?" She said.

" That's right, she's more miserable and pathetic than I was sixteen years ago." The woman lent her head against the image crystal. "She can't possibly laugh. She should hate more, she should begrudge more, doesn't she know that no-one loves her in all the whole wide world? No-one..." Himeno stepped forward.

"But she's loved." She said, the woman ignored it and went on sobbing into the crystal.

" No matter how hard you try, you're never going to be loved. Don't go Mawata...don't leave me all by myself!" They both looked down, ashamed now at leading this woman into dispair. The woman gasped. "Sasame! Sasame where are you? You are here aren't you? answer me!" The woman was like a coiled spring, her fists were clenched and she had tears staining her face." Sasame? SASAME!" She screamed.

Something moved and Hime caught it in the corner of her eye. Her and Himeno turned, to see a battered Hayate step up over the crystals.

" Hayate!" The woman called, sobbing uncontrolably. Hayate wavered, and then colapsed onto the floor. Behind him was Sasame. Sasame flew up and over to the woman, but Himeno and Hime remained still, frozen in shock.

"Say something!" Himeno cried, rushing over to Hayate's ripped up form. She took his head in her hands and held it to her chest.

Hime was the only one now without a companion, and felt very self-aware and vulnerable. Sasame and the woman embraced, and Hime didn't know what to do.

_:In answer to your question earlier, that woman there is Takako.:_ Hime felt a whoosh of joy and swivelled round the see Maikeru. They did not hug, or even talk, just looked instead towards everyone else.

" Hayate, Hayate!" Himeno was calling, but he could only manage a quiet 'Himeno.'

"Those three..." Takako said." Kill them. Do it now." Sasame looked shocked, and hesitated for a moment."Hurry!" She ordered." You do love me, don't you?" He let her go and drew his purple sword.

"You know this is wrong." Said Himeno, in one last defiant stand." You know that killing us isn't what you need to be doing right now, Sasame. You do want to save Takako, don't you?" Hime rejoyced at Himeno's intelligence. She was using Takako's own game against her. Sasame stopped.

"What are you doing? Hurry!" Takako cried franticly. Himeno turned to face them all.

"Takako, did you really want to become the princess of disaster? And do you really want to remain as one? I was scared when I thought I might become another princess of disaster, I didn't know what to do." Sasame looked down on her, his face contorted with pain and having to choose between two people he cared about. His eyes filled with tears, and Hime held her breath. Please, she begged, if there is a god, help us now. Let this work...

"I think Takako's the same way." Himeno continued." She's scared and lonely, she's suffering too. She wants someone who'll understand." Sasame was close to tears now, his heart was torn in two.

" So, you too Sasame." Takako spoke, hate and anguish filling her voice."You're just like the rest."

"Takako?" Sasame was unsure now, caught like a mouse between two cats.

"Everyone abandones me. No-one loves me."

"Takako, that's not it!" Sasame's tears were gone, he had regained his cool composure. But it was to late, Takako began taking in leafe as her soul sank deeper into dispair. The tree stirred, some other force was taking the leafe thet it had worked so hard to get, the tree was angry. Takako realised that everyone had deserted her now, Hayate, Mawata, Sasame...

The edge of her eye caught movement. Turning her head she saw vines, the same licking vines that the tree used to drain leafe from any living thing. What was happening...?

Sasame saw the vines as well. In that split second he saw Takako go through her life, he saw when thay first met her when she was reading, he saw when Hayate reached out to her, saw when she was rejected by him, saw her as the trembling Princess of Disaster. He only realised what he'd done when he couldn't move. The gripping tentacles of the tree had coiled themselves around him, and Takako was by his side. He had saved her.

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Ooh all tense! I'm sorry for any mistakes, I had no time to read through it all. Chapter four might take a while..I'll try and get it done soon. Anyway, hope you liked and please reveiw!


	4. Impossible Moments

Here we go, chapter four. I'm working through these quickly! This is _really_ short. But I thought where it ended was just such a great ending, so you'll just have to wait until chapter five gets put up. Same rule applies, means Hime and Maikeru mind talking.

Disclaimer: I don't own pretear. I do own Maikeru and Hime though, which is good. Hmmm...What I would do if I owned Pretear? (Evil grin spreads across Forgetfull's face.)

**Chapter 4**

Princess of Sorrow

The silence was unbarable. It went on for what seemed like centuries, until the vines receeded and Sasame was dropped to the floor like a doll. Takako was the first to rush to his side, and Hime felt Maikeru tense beside her, his face unreadable.

" Sasame, no." Takako muttered, her tears falling as a steady stream of sorrow.

" I'm dreaming." Hime said. No-one responed, and the air felt thick. Sasame though, broke through the atmosphere,

" Was I finally able...To become...Your knight?" He asked. his voice skittered, flickering like a scratched record. It was like a film, so tragic and solomn, nothing stirring.

_:He's fading.:_

_:Fading, do you mean...Dying:_

_:Yes. He has no more leafe, no more life.:_ The shock clogged Hime's throat and mind, leaving her unable to respond. Takako never did answer. She just knelt next to him, her sobs coming rapidly in harsh bursts.

" Sasame... Sasame..." She called, hardly audible even in the silent stillness." Please don't leave me." A light breeze began to blow. It blew little specks of black dust into swirling patterns in the air. Gradually the patterns grew, and then Hime realised they were being swept off Takako and Sasame. Takako's long, purple hair was now replaced by a more human cut, just below shoulder length, and tied back by a ribbon. She wore a long yellow skirt, high heels and a blouse. She was no longer a Princess of Disaster. Sasame was back in his white knight's uniform, and his form struck a deeper pain in Hime's heart, he really did love her that much. It was easy to kill for someone, yet much more difficult to die for them, but Sasame had been prepared to do it all.

" Please!" Hime called. Her own eyes now sparkling with the hints of tears." Please, stay with us! You don't deserve to die." She hardly knew these people, yet she was so affected.

_:Nothing you say can save him.: _Maikeru sent

_:I know that: _Hime spat, bitterly.

_:Then why shout:_

_:Because! I...:_ At that she burst into tears. Both her and Takako mourned, Takako kept repeating his name, over and over, nothing changed.

" Please, Takako...Smile...For me. Just...One more time?" Sasame requested, his face peaceful even in death. Through the sobs and tears, a smile formed on the white face of the girl known as Takako. A sincere smile that sent no warmth or comfort, just emptiness, but Sasame seemed content with just that. At that he let out a groan and his head slid gracefully to the floor, his eyes closed. Takako burst out like a flood from a dam.

" Sasame? Sasame! Sasame! No Sasame...!" She shouted, her emotions churning up, a mixture of lathargy and panic. The body of Sasame began to shine with a heavenly light, so bright yet not blinding. The light spread and then divided into millions of multi-coloured, shining bubbles, which sailed into the sky before disappearing. Again silence fell, and it was Himeno who broke it this time. She had sat quietly with Hayate all that time, but now decided it was she who must fix things.

" Takako?" She said softly.

" No.." A rasp came from beside her. Hayate had spoken, but it was to late. Takako had stepped up and the tree shot out more slimey vines. It held her like glue, and she hung there willingly. A great wind began sucking in leafe, and Hayate jumped up to grab Himeno. Hime ran for the side of the balcony and hung onto a crystal. What next happened went quickly. After some dispute Himeno became the wind pretear, and ran to save Takako, calling out about Sasame as she did so. Maikeru closed his eyes and stood motionless, and Kei and Go fought below with the children as the tree came suddenly back to life. Himeno slid through vines, slicing with the wind sword, chopping and slashing. Maikeru heard the cry as Hayate was hit, but still it went on. The madness went on.

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Hime decided there was positively nothing possible for her to do now other than stay alive. She vaguly heard the fight, saw Himeno held on the ground by vines, listened to the cries of pain from below. She caught a fleeting glimpse of Hayate as he acted as sheild on the thousands of vines lashing at Himeno. He held himself above her, and though she cried out in dispair to stop, to let the blows fall on her, he wouldn't. With one last petrifying scream he flew up and destroyed the vines. He fell out of Himeno and cut the vines that bound her, before flopping onto the ground.

That was it. Hime's eyes were squeezed shut, and she covered her ears.

_:Maikeru! I don't want to look! Take me away from here, please...:_ She begged.

_:I can't.:_

The pain continued. Hime heard noises louder than any bomb, and felt the ground shake like it had been hit by one. A light made the insides of her eyelids turn blood red. When she dared sneak a look, she saw a massive, writhing face. Takako was nowhere to be seen and Himeno was in the sky, pouring leafe into the mouth of the tree. The eyes snapped shut again, until the ground was plucked from under her feet.

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Maikeru flew through the bubbles, smiling as the tree was destroyed. He landed on the ground and...

Felt a breeze.

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Hime fell. She hurtled down through multi-coloured nothing, the world lurched around her, as she was tossed about by the air. She thought she caught sight of Himeno, and even Takako, but that could have been anything. Suddenly the ground was there and she braced for the impact, but nothing came. Little bits of her uncovered arms felt cold, like pins and needles, and she felt someone warm embracing her. She opened her eyes to see Maikeru, holding her in the snow.

" I've gone to heaven right?" Hime asked, as she gazed into his familiar, yet somehow different, dark eyes.

" No." Maikeru laughed." I've just come back down to earth." She didn't ask any more questions, just stayed there in his arms. Making most of the moment she didn't think was possible.

What did I tell you? Shortest chapter in the history of chapters. That was a pretty bad chapt, could have put in a lot more detail but can you blame me? Loads of homework, about four multi chapt fanficts...oh well, bet you have to do the same thing. Anyways, hope you like the story so far, if you do (or don't) Then please tell me, I would like lots of reveiws pretty please! Sigh. Only about twelve more chapters to go. Hah! Weren't expecting that were we? Nope, the story goes on, and the plot twists a bit. To find out how keep reading!

Forgetful


	5. When Past becomes Present

**A/N: **Okay. Now here's chapter five. I have to warn you now, it is confusing as hell. I'll leave you to read and think it over, but if you have any questions then please don't hesitate to email me. Sorry it's a bit rushed, but I had to get this part down so that I could get on with what the story is _really_ about. And thank you to for reveiwing. It really gave me confidence! Anyway, read and enjoy. (If you're not too confused. But you're all smart people so you'll probably get it.)

**Disclaimer:** Here we go again. Okay, I don't own pretear or it's characters, plot, settings etc. I do however own Maikeru and Hime. Now we can get on with the story.

**Chapter 5**

Princess of Sorrow

Eventually, they broke apart. Hime stared at Maikeru for a while. Her eyes followed the outline of his body, swept over his features, making sure that he was,...Dare she say it? Alive.

" Everything that's happened, all the monsters, the nightmares and the pain, it all melts away when I see you. But I can't seem to accept it. Who are you Maikeru? I know nothing of you, and yet you seem to read me like a book. You know what's going on, so tell me." Hime didn't listen to the words she said. She just let them rush out and hoped that they made sense, hoped they meant what she wanted them to. Maikeru dropped his eyes to the floor.

" We must talk to the knights. They can explain things much better than I ever could." He said, solomnly. Hime was about to argue, but then decided against it. She would rather know later than not at all.

"Come." Said Maikeru." They might need some help." He began to walk away.

" But what will you do when they see you?" Hime called. Maikeru stopped and looked sideways over his shoulder.

" We'll have to see." He stated, simply.

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The knights were not, though, even thinking about Hime. Over where they were hung an air of unrest, of death. As Hime and Maikeru came from behind the trees they stopped. The scene before them unfolding, hidden truths, loves, needs being thrown into the air, for anyone who cared to catch them. Himeno lay on a bed of flowers. Just from the body language of the others they knew she was dead. The knights and Himeno's family surrounded her and the children were crying. Hayate leant over Himeno's still form, his tears landing on her face, his whispers being carried away by the wind. And then, just like 'that' he lent in and kissed her. Slowly, a smile spread around the group. The smile grew to laughter, to happiness, to life.

Hime felt her eyes grow wet. Her heart cried out in joy, and she felt like rain had come on a parched desert. She laughed.

" So this is happiness? I haven't felt it for so long!" Maikeru laughed with her, and took her hand in his. They watched, unnoticed, as Himeno was smothered by hugs.

" This isn't the right time to tell them, is it?" Hime asked. Maikeru thought for a moment.

" No. We'll tell them tomorrow." The pain could be left for another day.

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Goh came out of the cafe. His usual grin filled his face as he went to take the order of yet _another _hungry tourist.

" Hello. What can I get you?" He asked cheerfully. One of two figures at the table turned.

" Hime! We were wondering what happened to you. You okay?" She smiled thinly.

" I'm fine. But please, get the other knights. I have something to tell you all." She said quietly. A look of puzzlment crossed Goh's face, but he put down his note-pad and pen and dissapeared in red flames.

" I still don't understand why they have to know at all." Hime pondered. Maikeru turned to face her. Now dressed in jeans, a shirt and a jacket, he looked like most sixteen-year-olds.

" You'll understand soon. When they get here you'll find it all fits." She nodded. 'I hope he's right,' she thought, 'or I'm gonna go mad.' All around the table flames shot up. Everyone was there, except Himeno. But she should be there any minute...

" Hey! I'm here! What's the emergancy?" Himeno stopped by the table, completely out of breath.

" Yes. Hime, please tell us what's going on." Kei said. Hime looked at the floor and Maikeru turned around in his seat.

" Hi."

A gasp went round the knights, and someone muttered his name. Hayate smashed the shock.

" Maikeru? Is this a trick Hime?" Hime looked up, her eyes studying the circle.

" It's not a trick. But Maikeru wouldn't tell me anything. He said you could explain." She answered. Hayate scared her, and she edged closer to Maikeru.

" If you are Maikeru, then how...?" Sasame addressed Maikeru coldly, unbelieving.

" It was Himeno. She brought Sasame back, and so me aswell." At this Himeno jumped up, her hands balled into fists.

" Just what is going on here? Who is he," She threw a pointed finger at Maikeru, " And what does he have to do with us?"

" He is a knight." Everyone turned to look at Kei. His arms were folded and his gaze was downcast. Hime looked away from him and back to Maikeru.

" Why didn't you tell me?" She whispered. Maikeru didn't answer, and so Kei carried on.

" When we battled the Princess of Disaster, and locked her in a prison in Leafenia, we lost three knights, right?"

" Yeah." Himeno urged.

" Well that's not true." Kei said. Himeno gasped and Hime listened, both wanting to hear the story and not hear it, for fear of what it might contain.

" There were four knights that died that day. Only the fourth was not recorded."

" Why?" Hime asked, knowing it was a difficult question.

" Because I was different." Maikeru spat." Because I was feared and everyone wanted to forget me." Hime was shocked. Takako..._Killed_...Maikeru? Unaffected by the interruption, Kei continued.

" Maikeru was unlike any knight ever seen before. When he died no knight came to replace him, and no knight died before him. You see, for as long as there has been leafe there have been the knights. Always there have been the knights of wind, fire, light, earth, water, sound and ice. There have always been seven to aid the Pretear, but once there were eight, and the eighth had a new power" The girls looked at him expectantly. " Maikeru, Knight of Darkness." Maikeru stood up.

" Don't leave Maikeru. We still have questions that can only be answered by you." Hayate ordered, no emotion showing in his voice. Maikeru stopped but would not look at them. Hime knew this was tearing him up inside.

" But why forget him? Why is he feared?" Hime shouted. His pain hurt her, she felt it.

" We were told years ago, as children, there would be one knight." Sasame answered." That knight would be different, and would grow up as an outcast. The ancient texts called him the Black Knight."

" That still doesn't give you reason to fear him!"  
" No. But the next sentance does. It says he will end the world." Hayate answered loudly. Then a quiet voice chipped in.

" As we know it." Sasame said.

"What?"

" He will end the world 'As we know it.' He will not completely end the world. It could be for the better, but people have always feared difference." Silence followed. There seemed nothing more to say. Maikeru's fists were clenched so tightly they were shaking. Hime got up and took his hand.

" You can leave, if you like." She told him.

" Hime, he can't. We need him to tell us what's happening." Hayate interrupted.

" No! Sasame said he would be an outcast! That means you didn't let him in. That means he's been alone all his life, then through death, and now through life again. I won't let that happen! I know what it's like to be alone, its raw, painful dispair. Worse than any Princess of Disaster has ever faced, but they had a way out. He doesn't! It's not right, none of this is right!" Hime yelled. Tears fell down her cheeks, and she was breathing heavily. Maikeru's pain, combined with hers was to much to handle. Suddenly, Maikeru's strong arms encircled her.

" Thank you. For caring. " He looked up at the other knights." It is not just me that this involves. It is Hime also. You saw her bracelet Kei." Kei nodded as Maikeru raised his hand. The sleeve of his jacket fell down to reveal a silver band. The markings matched those of Kei's ring, Mannan's Wristlet, Sasame's earring and so on. " Hime, show them yours." Hime turned. Her hair hid her eyes, but on her wrist they all saw a bracelet, identicle to Maikeru's.

" Through these bracelets I can feel Hime and she can feel me. I fear that my pain is hurting her, but they are what kept me here. Through Hime I lived, in a sense. No-one could see or hear me, not even any of you, no-one but her." Maikeru explained.

" So you were always there? When we talked to her, when Takako raised the tree?" Goh, silent till then, asked.

" Yes. I watched Sasame and Hayate fight. I watched them both die. I watched Himeno give her life to save us all, almost anyway."

" That's why The Demons were attracted to Hime, they knew you were there." Kei concluded. Maikeru nodded.

" So. What happens now?" Himeno asked. No-one answered, and an uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Shin stepped forward and looked at Maikeru, then hugged him.

" Now we get a new brother." He said, in his innocent little voice. Smiles appeared on faces, and Sasame too stepped forward.

" Yes. It's good to have you back, Knight of Darkness." he said, patting him on the back.

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**A/N:** Right. Well, what do you think? Was it confusing? I'd like to know 'cause if it was then I'll re-write it. It is nice to know, though, that the difficult chapter is over. Again please reveiw. I'm so worried that no-one's reading this, cause I've only got three! (At the moment, I hope I'll get more. Please reveiw. :gets on knees and begs: _Heh, it's 15 now, but more still. More:grin: _Yours,

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo Forgetful OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO


	6. Home at last

**A/N: **Okay, I know I've got to update my Angelic Layer story (for anyone who's reading this who also reads that.) but I'm just having to much fun with this one right now. So I guess you'll have to wait! Anyway, for all you others, aparently you all understood the last chapters. Can't help thinking I forgot something though...And I don't know wether it's right or not, but I've started spelling Go, 'Goh'. I think that's how it's spelt anyway.

**Disclaimer:** Once again I own nothing to do with Pretear. The only thing I own in this story is the plot, Maikeru and Hime and my own little Author's Notes. So, right, here we go.

**Chapter 6**

Princess of Sorrow

One by one all the knights addressed Maikeru and welcomed him warmly, past events seemingly forgotten. Eventually, all pain resided from Maikeru's face and he smiled and laughed. Hime sat silent, as did Himeno, both trying to digest the new slice of information.

" But, none of this makes sense." Himeno muttered to herself.

" No. I think I get it now. Which part confuses you?" Hime asked.

" Well, Hayate said he'd end the world..."

" As we know it." Hime butted in. Himeno looked at her shoes.

" Right, yeah. As we know it, but when's that going to happen? And what will happen when it does?" She looked up again, and Hime looked into tired pools of cherry pink.

" You know Himeno, I don't think anyone will be able to answer those questions until it actually happens. But maybe..." Hime was interrupted by a loud bleeping. Himeno tugged down her sleeve to reveal her watch, which was bleeping out a shrill cry of 'you're late'.

" Oh man, this s-u-cks!" Himeno yelled. A/N-I love that line ) " I'm gonna' be so busted! Why can't they serve dinner later? I'm sorry everyone, but I have to go home." Everyone murmered goodbyes as Himeno slung her school pack over her shoulder and sprinted down the road.

" Hum. I'd better get back too, it's late." Hime said in a monotonous voice.

" We'll go with you. It's getting dark and you never know what's hiding round the corner." Goh offered.

" Um, just before we go," Maikeru said quietly." I used to just hang out at Hime's place. But now..."

" ...Why do you ask? Leafenia is your home, it has, and will, always be." Sasame smiled. "In fact, why don't we take Hime there before she goes home?" All in agreement, the doorway to the Way of Light was opened. Hime watched in awe as a golden rectangle formed itself out of nothingness, its brilliance flowing out and illuminating the cafe with swirling patterns. Each knight went through, and she watched them get absorbed by the shining corridoor.

" Take my hand." She looked up at Maikeru, his hand outstretched.

" Huh?"

" Hold my hand, otherwise you won't be able to come." Reluctantly, she slipped her hand into his. His thin fingers grasped her own as he walked off into the light. On instinct Hime closed her eyes, then immidiately regretted it. For when she opened them they had passed the Way of Light and were there. But how beautiful 'There' was! Her breath gone she looked around. Trees and flowers bloomed everywhere, and happy, plump little birds flew around in multi-coloured formations. Crystals poked up through the green grass, one colour for every knight. And, Hime proudly noted, there were a few shining black ones among the others.

" Look, it's Takako!" Hajime shouted. Hime looked around worriedly, drawing closer into Maikeru's protective form. But then she noticed the smiles still on everyone's faces. _Oh yes, _she thought, _Takako's good now. _But she couldn't help thinking something might still be wrong.

" Let's go and see her!" Hajime yelled again. He and Mannan tore up the hillside towards a dark blob at the top. Shin struggled up behind them, being younger and having shorter legs. Hime turned to Hayate in shock.

" But it's night back home. Why is it day here?" She asked.

" There is a time difference between your world and Leafenia. It has only just begun to get dark here." Hayate answered, not even looking at her until the sky suddenly went a deep pink colour.

" The sun's setting." Hime stated. At that Hayate looked down and nodded. Hime could've been wrong, but she was sure there was a tiny smile playing across his lips._ God he's weird._ They all began to climb up to Takako. The grass on the hill was long, and the breeze made it swish around their waists. Suddenly Sasame rose up into the air.

" Good idea." Maikeru said, taking Hime by the waist. And, though she protested, carried her up into the now blood-red sky. Looking down on it, she thought Leafenia was even more beautiful from the sky. She could see tree tops and lakes far away, all bathed in the soft, golden glow of the sunset.

" It's amazing." She gasped.

" It is, isn't it? I've really missed this place. I may be a reject but I'm glad I have somewhere to call home." Maikeru agreed, gazing out over the golden landscape. Hime though looked down. A/N- more than she was before.- Maikeru caught her wistfull look and realised what he'd just said. When she got home, there would be no-one there for her. He had been her only friend there, she could only be consumed by lonliness now.

" Oh Hime, I'm sorry..."

" No. It's fine. I'll just...manage I suppose." She put on a fake smile and looked up at him."I'll be fine, I'll pull through, somehow." Though her mouth said those things, her heart screamed out differently. _I don't know what I'll do without you. Will I be able to continue living? No. Not there. My heart will end up drenched in darkness. Emptiness..._

" Hime, I know how you really feel. Anyone can see you're not happy there, I have an idea." Maikeru began to descend, making Hime's stomach lurch. He landed with a bump and let her go so quickly she almost fell over. His arms shot out and caught her just in time.

" Sorry about that." He apologised, beaming a heart melting smile at her." Back in a sec'." He ran off to the group of Leafe knights, and began to talk to them.

" I'm so sorry." Hime span round to see the owner of the disembodied voice. Takako stood there, her yellow skirt billowing in the breeze and her face lit up by the suns last, futile attempts to shine.

" S-sorry for what?" Hime stammered.

" For, everything. For the tree, for the whole being evil thing, for...Killing him." She looked down. Hime thought about what the young woman had just said. It must have taken a lot of guts for her to do that, and then she thought of something...

" Don't be." Takako's head shot up." If you hadn't gone evil then Sasame would never have told you he loved you. If not for you Himeno would be in dispair, but now she's the pretear and has new friends. If you hadn't...Killed Maikeru, I wouldn't have met any of you, I wouldn't even have met him." With that she threw her arms around Takako in a hug." If anything I should be thanking you."

" Please, don't..." Takako began.

" Don't blame yourself. Or even anyone else, just be happy you got through it." Takako smiled and nodded. Then she turned and walked away, and Hime once more swivelled round to talk to someone.

" Okay. It's decided. All the knights want you to come and live with us here, in Leafenia." Maikeru told her. Hime's mouth fell open of its own accord.

" What? Really? Honestly, no joke?" Maikeru openly laughed at her.

" Of course. Do you think I'd say that for my health?" She jumped into his arms.

" Thank you! Thank you so much!" She cried into his chest. Lonliness would have a place in her heart no more.

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**A/N:** Yes, once again another short chapter. I really have no idea how I'm going to write the next couple of chapters, I have nothing to put in them. You guys wouldn't mind if I skipped really quickly through the boring parts would you? Hey, I guess it would make the story more interesting. Anyway, make sure you keep reveiwing please. Please don't think 'oh, someone else'll reveiw her story' because they **WON'T.** Please, pretty please?

Forgetful


	7. Baking cakes

**A/N:** Okay. I figured out that this fic will be sixteen chapters long. So if you don't read beyond chapter ten or whatever then you might as well go on to read something else. (Or keep reading this, I mean I don't mind...Heh heh...(0 ) And they face a different challenge every three chapters or so, until it reaches the climax. So no beating around the bush just getting to the main part of the story. (cause it's not like I wasted 7 chapters doing that). Anyway, the real story begins here. Off we go...

**Disclaimer:** Oh yeah, still have this bit to do first. Okay, fine, I don't own pretear etc.

**Chapter 7**

Princess of Sorrow

The knights set Hime up with a room in Takako's house. The house was kind of wonkey, and looked like something out of a story book, but then it was only something that Kei's computer had spat out. They had everything they'd ever need, even a little vegetable patch.

" Thank you all so much." Hime said gratefully as Hayate handed her a bag of her belongings that could now be considered as 'stolen'.

" Are you sure no-one will notice these things have gone?" Maikeru asked suspiciously.

" Yeah. I never brought anything much out of my room anyway. And no-one ever went in there." Hime answered. She opened it to reveal a few belongings. She blushed as she remembered what a state her room was in. Her face then turned a deeper shade of red as she realised there was underwear in the bag, and Hayate had had to pack it.

" Everything you need should be in there." Hayate murmured, his face turned away. He was obviously as embarrassed about it as she was.

" Um, thanks. I really mean it." Hime replied, trying in vain to forget about it.

" It's alright Hime, you can stop with the 'thank you's' now." Goh laughed. From the room nearest them, Takako emerged.

" Your room is ready now. I hope you like it." She announced, at the news Hime smiled.

" I'm sure I will. I am gonna' love living here!" She cried excitedly. Takako led her into her room, and Hime gasped. It was her dream room, with a dressing table, a cute little bed and even a fluffy rug on the floor.

" Oh Takako! It's perfect!" Hime breathed, her eyes shining. Their blue matching that of the walls.

" Really?"

" Yes! It's the room I always wanted. Thank you so much." There she went again with the thank-you's.

" I'm so glad." Takako smiled. Sasame moved towards her and held her hand.

" You know, you two make such a great couple." Hime said simply. Both Sasame and Takako blushed incredibly. Hime yawned.

" I think it's definitely getting late now. We all need to go to bed." Goh suggested. Many mumbles of agreement came from the bedraggled bunch. They filed out of the little arched door, when Maikeru poked his head back round the doorframe.

" Good night Hime, Takako, sleep well." Hime smiled. He was so slimey at times.

" Yeah, I'm gonna' hit the sack too. Goodnight Takako." Hime said stretching. Takako nodded back at her.

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Hime was woken next morning by Himeno jumping on her.

" What the f..."

" Good morning!" Hime held her hand to her head. Waiting for the fogginess to clear from her eyes, she watched Himeno fling open the curtains and felt the sun flow in.

" I thought I'd come up and see you guys. The knights said you were living here now so I came to check on you." Himeno grinned. A delicious smell wafted in from the kitchen." Oh yeah, and I made pancakes."

" Great. " Hime managed a weak smile." Um, what time is it?" She asked.

" Well, when I got up it was ten, but I guess here it's still eight." Himeno calculated. Hime let out a groan and fell back into her bed, pulling the covers up over her head.

X

After half an hour of Himeno nagging her to get up, Hime trudged into the kitchen.

" Morning Takako." She mumbled.

" Ah, I see. Not a morning person then Hime? I'll keep that in mind." Takako smiled back. She put a couple of pancakes onto Hime's plate." Syrup?"

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In a dark room, a mirror showed an image of the wind knight, Hayate. Yurokai hovered behind the right shoulder of her mistress. Her black, lace-like wings moving so fast they were just a blurr.

" Yurokai. I think we'll get the silent one first, don't you? Perhaps we can get him to speak." A long, black nail scratched the mirror and the image faltered, then disappeared. A dark figure walked from the mirror to a marking on the floor.

" By the powers of Sorrow, do my bidding." The marking on the floor lit up with a bright, white glow. " I call upon the gifts of Dispair, answer my cry." The light rose up, spinning in the air. White, liquid fire.

" I drag Hatred from its stinking pit, to turn sister against brother. Husband against wife, lover against partner. Hatred, repay your debt to me!" The spinning sign exploded silently, and footsteps floated out from the darkness. Another figure, clad in blue, stepped out from the black into a pool of light. Long blue hair held back in a loose binding, and deep, dark eyes peirced the most hidden soul.

" My dark Hayate. Go, and cause mayhem, break the hearts of fools!" Wicked laughter filled the cavernous ruins, and Yurokai slunk into the darkness, and hid.

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Himeno sneezed as flour went up her nose. Hime was in hysterics next to her.

" I...I thought..." She chocked through the laughter." You...Said...You could...Cook!"

" I can! It's just that flour and me don't get on, that's all...ACHOO!" At this Hime laughed harder. Eventually, wiping the tears from her eyes, Hime stood up and went over to a large bowl on the side. Picking up a wooden spoon, she began to stir the cake mixture inside.

" Even with your sneezing fits, I think this cake is going to be great. Thanks for helping out." She said.

" You're welcome. I think it's a really nice idea, making a cake for the knights as a thanks. But they're all right about you." Himeno slipped slyly.

" In what way?"

" You say thank you for everything!" Himeno laughed. They both stopped at a voice at the door.

" Sorry to interrupt, but I think I heard someone mention cake?" Maikeru walked over to Hime.

" Don't even think...!" But it was to late, with a quick movement Maikeru's finger was in the bowl.

" Mmmmm! Lovely, I hope I get piece." He complimented.

" Not if you do stupid stunts like that you won't! OUT!" Hime grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him out of the back door. Once it was locked, she went back over to the bowl. " I hope his hands were clean." She muttered.

" He likes you." Himeno said.

" What? No way." Hime yelled, mixing ferociously.

" Yes he does." The pretear teased, making kissing noises.

" Fine, maybe he does. But I bet you like someone." Hime retorted. There was silence for a few moments before Himeno lent close to Hime.

" Can you keep a secret?" She whispered. Hime nodded." I...I like Hayate." Hime's face lit up.

" I knew you did! I just knew it!"

" Okay, okay, but you won't tell anyone, will you?" Himeno rushed.

" No, of course not. I said I could keep a secret, didn't I?" Hime promised.

" Yes, but what you say isn't always what you mean."

" Good point. Right done! We can put this in the oven now. I can't wait 'till it's done." The cake mix was in a cake-pan, A/N-surprisingly enough.-, and Hime slid it into the oven.

X

Hayate was checking around Himeno's house, he just couldn't shake the feeling that something was still wrong. But Takako was free from dispair now, she wouldn't do anything else to endanger lives. All the knights were acting the same as always and Maikeru seemed the real deal, he was probably just paranoid.

" Hayate? Could you set up the sculpting table for me?" Kaoru asked. Himeno's father never stopped, Hayate wondered where he got the energy.

" Yes Sir." He replied.

" Thanks." Kaoru walked off, and Hayate walked towards the little hut at the end of the garden. But still the feeling would not go away...

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**A/N: **Well, I'm getting through these quickly. I got bored in the holidays so I just wrote, and wrote...and then wrote some more. And so, because of that, you have around three new chapters to read. That's gotta be good right? Anyway, the plot is getting thicker. Scary, creepy lady casting spells, who keeps a trapped soul as a pet/slave.( That's Yurokai by the way.). I don't know where I get all these names from, they just kind of come to me. I found out Hime means 'princess' in Japanese, so that was a corny choice, but I can't change that now. It's not like I knew that up 'till now either way. Anyways, you know the drill, please, please reveiw.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoForgetfuloOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO


	8. Lust and Hatred, a beautiful partnership

**A/N:** Halloooo!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine, never will be. Blah blah blah. Revised version blah blah blah...

**Chapter 8**

Princess of Sorrow

Hime squeezed the icing tube tight, and a blob of pink was finally forced out.

" Done. I guess I'll just sit down for a minute." Hime walked into the sitting room, and sat on the biggest cushiest chair she could find. A/N-Is 'cushiest' a word? It might just be me and my warped sense of spelling...- She'd been walking round all day doing little jobs. She'd cleaned the house, watered the vegetable patch,_ Picked some flowers, _she listed them off on her fingers,_ baked and iced the cake, weeded the-_

Suddenly she felt her hair being swept aside, and soft fingers slid across the back of her neck. Caressing, gently stroking...

" Maikeru, I am going to kill..." She span round, jumping up quickly from the chair. But instead of Maikeru her eyes met blue.

" Hayate! What are you doing? Actually, I don't want to know." She moved to leave but Hayate's arm blocked her path. He moved forward and she was pinned between him and the wall.

" Let me leave Hayate." She pleaded. Her heart was beating rapidly and her brain screamed _RUN! _Again she tried to dodge, but this time his hand gripped her arm and he moved even closer. Completely trapped, she faced him and prepared to do the biggest scream of her life, but her voice was cut off. The scream was caught in her throat as Hayate's lips met hers. He let go of her arm and instead wrapped it around her waist, pulling her right up to him. She opened her mouth to scream and Hayate took advantage, pushing further, the kiss becoming more passionate. Desperately she pulled away to see a pink flutter disappear from the doorway.

" No!" She punched and shoved him off her and ran, following Himeno. She ran across green fields where flowers dotted little spots of colour that merged into streaks as she ran past.

" Himeno please! It's not what it looks like!" _Stupid thing to say, _she scolded herself, _It's _completely _what it looks like, he was kissing me!_

" Oh, what was it then?" Himeno screamed, tears flying like sparkling diamonds from her eyes. "Did he just happen to fall onto your lips and start kissing you? Oh I know, there was something in your eye! And right after I told you...!" With that she ran off, Hime couldn't face following her. After all, she had kissed him, she was to blame. Out of nowhere a blue form appeared.

" What's wrong with Himeno?" Hayate asked. Anger welled up inside Hime until she could hold it no more. She slapped him hard across the face.

" _Bastard._" She hissed, before running off herself.

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When Maikeru came in he found Hime sobbing on her bed.

" Hime?" He ran over to her and put his hands on her shoulders." Hime, what's wrong?"

" Ha-Hayate" She sobbed. He coaxed her up into a sitting position, and she cried into his chest. Her salty tears making his black shirt damp.

" Shhh, it's alright. I'm here now." He soothed, gently stroking her hair." Tell me what happened."

She pulled her head away from him and looked up at his face.

" Ha-Hayate, he k-kissed me." She sobbed. Maikeru's face flickered through about five emotions at once, but he said nothing about how he felt.

" You wouldn't cry because someone kissed you. What else happened?" He pushed.

" I didn't want to! I...I tried to get away, I really did but he held me there. I couldn't fight him and then-" Maikeru's face hardened.

" If he did anything like that I swear..."

" No! No, Himeno. Himeno saw us, but she told me earlier today that...that she loved him. She ran off. I followed but she wouldn't listen to me. Then he came, and, and I slapped him. I slapped him Maikeru! And now Himeno hates me!" She threw herself back into his arms and cried there. He tried his best to console her, but his mind was really on what he would do to Hayate once he found him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Well now Yurokai, it looks like everything is going wonderfully. Lust and Hatred really do make beautiful partnership, don't they?"

" Yes Mistress." Yurokai fluttered half out of the darkness, so she could run if her Mistress got angry. Which happened a lot. A noise came from the shadows.

" Ah, my dark Hayate. You did very well, but I will need you to go out and cause more trouble later. For now though, I must renew you." Yurokai had watched this happen many times before. Her Mistress would summon servants, but would have to renew them otherwise they would fade away, becoming fainter and fainter until there was nothing left. The dark figure of a woman walked towards the wind knight and pulled down his collar to reveal a tattoo, the same as the marking that had summoned him. Its deep black sliced through the soft skin of his neck. The woman's hand went out, and gently touched the marking, which began to glow. The wind knight winced but made no sound, and Yurokai slunk back into the inky darkness.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Hayate was sure something was going on now. He had gone to Himeno's home, but her father had said she was upset and didn't want to see anyone. And then Hime had slapped him, what happened there? He sighed. The only way he was going to find out anything was to talk with Hime.

" Damn it." He cursed. Why were people so weird around him?

Final decision made, he disappeared with a brilliant blue flash.

When he arrived at the house, Takako was outside. She looked up and gave him a look of pure hatred before walking off. Another weird happening, he thought. He banged loudly on the door and called.

" Hime, it's Hayate. I don't know what's going on but I have to talk to you." The voices that had been coming from the house stopped, and he heard footsteps coming to the door. When it finally opened though, it wasn't Hime.

" What do you want?" Maikeru said, coldly. Quickly, Hayate regained his composure and spoke up.

" I want an explanation. As to why Hime slapped me earlier."

" Don't be stupid. You of all people know why." Heyate thought for a moment. What had he done to upset Hime? Was it because of what he put in her bag?

" No. No I don't. I have no idea what is going on here. All I do know is that everyone seems to be hating me at the moment, for reasons I don't know about. What's happening Maikeru?" Maikeru got angry.

" God, I can't believe you! You're either stupid or downright sick. You do know that what you did to her was indecent assult, right? I could get you exiled for that. It's no wonder people are hating you!"

" What the hell did I do? Damn it!"

" Cut the crap! You don't force a girl to snog you and then just forget about it!" Hayate stopped. _Snog..?_

" Force a girl to _What_?"

" Snog you, asshole!"

" What? I havn't kissed anyone since high school. None of the knights have." Hayate threw back. His defences were pulled up, how could they think he'd do that?

" So what, she's lying about the whole thing? In case you forgot, I'm joined to her. That means she can't lie to me."

" I didn't say that..."

" Then what? Tell me what it is exactlythat you _do _mean, Hayate." Silence followed. There was no way Maikeru was going to let Hayate sneak away from this one, and Hayate was just trying to figure out what the hell it all meant.

" Get out of here now. Otherwise I'll punch you so hard you won't have any brain left to realise I hit you." Maikeru threatened quietly. Hayate knew it wasn't an idle threat, and so, reluctantly, he left. He walked for ages through the dark, and eventually stopped under a tree. _I never kissed anybody. I wouldn't anyway, I love her to much..._

He knew there was no way it could've been him. But then who had it been? He didn't doubt that Hime was telling the truth, as Maikeru said, he could feel her. But how was he supposed to get to the bottom of it all if no-one believed him? Perhaps it was someone else and Hime hadn't seen them properly. _What are you talking about? By the sound of things Hime's damn sure it was you._ Again a sigh escaped his lips. Something just wasn't right here.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When Hayate went to see the other knights next morning, they were in a group heatedly discussing something. He walked up to them silently, and they all looked at him as he approached.

" Hayate, we have to talk with you." Kei told him.

" What you did, we can't excuse." Sasame said quietly. His eyes were hidden under his fringe, and he would not look up.

" What do you mean?" Hayate asked cautiously.

" Don't make us explain Hayate. You know what we're talking about." Kei said defiantly. Heyate shook his head.

" I didn't do it."

" That puts the case against you right away. If you had nothing to do with this then you wouldn't know what had happened." Kei explained.

" I know because Maikeru yelled at me about it last night." There were a few agonising, silence filled moments before Kei continued.

" Please then, tell us what you know. We should hear both sides to the story." Hayate met all of their eyes, and explained as best he could.

" It dosn't help that I don't _know_ the other side, but I only know what Maikeru screamed at me. I came home from work and came across Hime and Himeno. Himeno was shouting at Hime and looked upset. When I asked Hime what was wrong she slapped me, and called me a bastard. I still don't really know why. I decided to go and talk to Himeno about it, but her father wouldn't let me in saying she was upset. Since I still didn't know what had happened I could only go and ask Hime. When I got there Maikeru opened the door and told me that I'd forced her to kiss me, I had no defence because I couldn't explain any of it. I still can't." Another silence followed and it was clear that no-one believed him.

" What are you going to do with me?" He asked, waiting for the punishment he knew would follow.

" Nothing, for now. Just stay away from Hime and Himeno. For now you are no longer allowed to pret, though we will still need you in battle, and will not guard either of them until we have this whole thing cleared up. This isn't a punishment Hayate, just a precaution." Kei answered.

" Right, precaution." Hayate left the group. They were the people who knew him better than he knew himself, and yet even they couldn't honestly say they believed him. _Life really is a bitch_, he thought.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**A/N:** O.o Tadaa.


	9. Cake, anyone?

**A/N:** Right well. Will they _finally_ realise it's not Hayate pulling all these stunts? And will Himeno ever forgive Hime? And will Yurokai escape her awful fate as a slave to the mysterious dark woman? All will be revealed, as soon as I can move my butt and get on with the Fic! Thank you to **everyone** who reveiwed my story, I love you all! I made it my duty to read all my reveiwer's stories, and hopefully remembered to reveiw them all. If I didn't, just say.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own pretear or its characters. They belong to the wonderful people at ADV, CLAMP and so on and so forth.

**Princess of Sorrow**

Chapter 9

Hime had finally cleaned herself up, and, with Maikeru as guard, got ready for bed.

" When Hayate said he'd packed everything I'd need he was wrong. Or maybe magical knights don't need toothpaste?" She rummaged around the bottom of the bag but found nothing.

" Maikeru! Do you have any toothpaste?" She called. A moment later the door opened.

" What?"

" I was asking if you had any-"

" Hime!" Maikeru cried urgently. She looked up but he wasn't looking at her, his gaze was fixed on something over her shoulder. Turning, she saw the window was open. And stood by it...

" Hayate." She said quietly.

" Hime, get out of here." Maikeru ordered. She obeyed and backed towards the door. Maikeru walked confidently up to Hayate.

" I told you to get lost or I'd hurt you. I didn't want to realise that threat, but you leave me no choice. One last chance. Leave, or fight." Though Hime had been told to go, she couldn't sit not knowing what was happening. So she stood by the door frame, watching nervously. _Oh God. Maikeru, don't get out of your depth..._

" Fine." Maikeru drew back his arm, and threw it forwards, fist crumpled into a ball. Hayate didn't flinch. His arm shot up and caught the blow, before twisting Maikeru's arm and throwing him into the wall.

" Damn. How'd he get so strong?" Maikeru muttered, struggling back up. With a flash the wind sword was drawn, and Hayate stood with it in his hand. Once Maikeru was up he lunged at him, the wind sword swiped past Maikeru's face, narrowly missing it.

" Maikeru, can't you do something?" Hime yelled. There was no way Maikeru could fight with his bare hands.

" I'm trying, okay?" It suddenly got darker as another swipe came at Maikeru's head, but something blocked the attack.

In Maikeru's hands was a long black rod. At the end of which a silver crescent moon rested, engraved with intricate patterns and studded with shining black jewels. And the moon's points held a dark, purple stone. A/N: It was dark, and it was purple. Not dark purple.-

Hayate pulled back his sword and blocked a blow from the shining staff. It swang again, the silver moon leaving a sparkling arc in the air, this time hitting Hayate on the shoulder. Maikeru let out a cry as the sword slashed his forearm, but fought back by shoving the butt of the staff into Hayate's stomach. The moon came down again as the blow that would end the battle, but a flash of blue made Maikeru wince and the staff sliced through air. Hayate was gone.

X

Hime tied the bandage tightly.

" Ouch!" Maikeru yelped.

" Sorry but it has to be tight. You're lucky, it's only shallow." Hime said, putting the medical kit away.

" Thank you, Nurse Karoshama." Maikeru teased. Hime made a face and punched him on the arm.

" Shut up." Silence followed. _There are so many awkward silences with these people._ Hime thought. Eventually it got to much, and she just had to break the silence. If she didn't, she thought she might suffocate in it.

" Um, what was...? I mean, that thing-"

" This?" A black flash cleared to reveal the staff that Maikeru had fought with. Hime nodded.

" This is the Dark Sceptre. It's my weapon. All the knights have one." Maikeru explained, turning it over in his hands.

" And Hayate's is that sword."

" Yes. The Wind Sword." Again silence fell. She had never had to worry about what she said to Maikeru before. _But now_, she thought, _things have changed._

" I'm really glad you're alright." She muttered. Maikeru smiled.

" Same here. I should go and tell the other knights what happened. Will you be-?"

" I'll be fine. I don't think he'll be back any time soon." Maikeru nodded and left. Hime sat alone in the house. _This is all too weird..._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Hayate watched Maikeru leave the house. Now was his chance, as long as none of the other knights came along. Once Maikeru was out of sight, Hayate ran to the door. He thought it would probably be better to knock rather than teleport right into her kitchen. He knocked, and heard soft feet pad over to the door. When it opened he watched Hime's eyes grow wide.

" Hi." She slammed the door. Well, he should've been expecting it really.

" Hime, please listen. Even if it's from the other side of the door. You're the person that knows the most about what's going on here, and I have to make you believe it wasn't me. I couldn't have done that, because..." He faltered and sighed. " Because I love Himeno. I couldn't have kissed you, I love her to much. You have to believe me." No sound came from the door, and so Hayate turned to leave.

" Hayate?" He turned. The door was open, Hime was illuminated by the glow from the lights inside.

" Come inside." She ordered. He followed silently. She sat down at the table and motioned for him to do the same. He sat.

" Please tell me what you know about everything that's happened." And so he began. He told her about the time she slapped him and the argument with Maikeru. Then he finished with the 'precautions' the knights had given him. She was silent and thought over it all. Then for no reason she stood up, and walked over to him. She reached out and swept aside his hair. He said nothing, she was his last hope after all. Then she pulled down his collar. Seemingly satisfied by something she sat back down.

" Um, what...?" He asked.

" It came back today. Whatever it was that kissed me. Maikeru fought it and has gone to tell the other knights." Hime told him.

" Is he alright?"

" Yes. Though he was cut on his arm. The reason I just did what I did...when they were fighting I saw a tattoo on its neck. Since you havn't got any tattoos on your neck, I can only assume it wasn't you." Hayate understood now.

" I have to tell you though, it looks exactly like you in every other way. It even has your hair band and the wind sword." This time it was Hayate's turn to think. He was in trouble now, everyone would think he attacked Maikeru.

" Hayate?"

" Yes?" He said, looking up.

" For what it's worth, I beleive you." He smiled. Things were finally looking up after a long period of bad luck. Suddenly, the door behind him opened and all the knights came in.

" Hime! Get away from her you-"

" Hayate. We told you that you weren't allowed anywhere near Hime."

" I didn't do anything though. You can't punish me for something I didn't do!" Hime stood up. Silence stilled the chaos that had so breifly filled the little house. Maikeru went over to her.

" Are you okay?"

" I'm fine. Hayate isn't the one to blame." No-one said anything, so she continued.

" You all know about the fight that Maikeru had earlier today. During that fight I notice a black tattoo on the neck of the thing we thought was Hayate." She stopped as Kei walked over to Hayate. Hayate pulled down the collar of his blue knight's uniform, showing the unblemished, pale skin underneath. Kei nodded. There was definitely nothing there.

" I'm sorry I doubted you Hayate." Hime apologised.

" Yes. We're all sorry, we should have trusted you." A murmur of agreement followed. Maikeru left Hime and stood by Kei.

" I'm really sorry too. I hope you can put aside that argument we had. At least, I think we had it..." His hand went out, and Hayate grasped it. They shook.

" What are we going to do?" Hime asked. The thing was still out there, and Himeno knew nothing about the recent discoveries.

" I'll go and talk with Himeno." Sasame offered. It was a sensible idea, him working as an agony uncle and all.

" I'd like to stay with Hime. If it comes back then I can protect her." Maikeru asked.

" I would also like to stay with Hime. I want to fight this thing that's been messing up my life." Hayate said, his usual cold self returning.

" Sasame and I will protect Himeno." Said Kei.

"And I'll take the kids out to search Leafenia. If we find it we'll call." Goh grinned. One by one the knights disappeared, until only Maikeru and Hayate were left. Another awkward silence engulfed them and Hime got up.

" Cake, anyone?"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Yurokai hit the wall, her wings splayed out behind her. She slid slowly to the floor. She had been foolish enough to speak while her Mistress was angry, and had payed the price.

" Fools! Heartless, laughing fools! There was no way they could have seen through my plan. Well I will show them what true dispair is. Hayate!" Once more, the darkness parted to reveal Hayate's dark double. The woman walked over to the form and planted a kiss on its lips.

" One last task for you, my knight. I give you my power, go and destroy your brothers. Destroy the Leafe knights!" The knight sunk back through the doorway, with her power, he could not fail.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Hime wasn't sure what the two knights would do, but she put some blankets on the sofa in case either wanted some sleep.

" Goodnight you two." She called.

" Night Hime!" Maikeru replied, loudly. Hime didn't expect anything from Hayate, and didn't get anything. Finally, after a long day, she was able to put her head on her pillow and go to sleep.

X

Many nights passed. Hime gradually got used to living in Leafenia, and over her stiffness around Hayate. He and Maikeru practicly lived with her now, and There wasn't much room with him, Takako, Maikeru and Hime herself in the house. Only once or twice did they ever hear noises outside, but they put these down to Tipiis and the strange flying angel-fish. A/N: One appears at the very beginning of episode #1 And is that how you spell Tipii?-

" Maybe I scared it off for good this time." Maikeru boasted, taking a bite out of one of the sandwiches Takako had made for them all.

" Maybe." Hime agreed.

" No. You havn't scared it off at all, it's probably just waiting for us to let our guard down." Hayate cut in, ignoring the food in front of him. A/N: Ever noticed how he never eats anything?-

" Yeah, well you try and do better!" Hime sighed. All the knights were so much like brothers, especially when it came to sibling fueds. She got up and left the house, letting the glorious sunshine rain down on her face.

" Hey, what's up?" She turned to see Goh's grinning face.

" Nothing, just had to get out that's all. Do you think I could go and visit Himeno?" She asked. Hime had to be careful about who saw her back in the real world, in case they dragged her along to the police after her strange disappearance. She had written a letter to her children's home explaining that she was fine and living in other parts of Japan, earning money by doing housework. It wasn't entirely untrue, she was earning her keep with Takako by cleaning the house and doing her share of the cooking. Hopefully, the letter would make sure that no-one was wrongly jailed because of her.

" Yeah sure. I'll take you. I think she's missing you, she's with Mawata and the kids now." The only people she ever did see there were Himeno, her family and the knights. Though sometimes she would bump into Yayoi, who was too cooky to notice she was a missing person.

Goh opened the way of light, and holding hands they stepped into it.

They stepped out in Himeno's front garden, next to the burbling stream. The giant wind chime sang out its mournful notes, and flowers swayed happily in the breeze. It was hard to believe a great tree of destruction intent on draining the world of all leafe had been born, and then killed on the very spot she was stood on.

" Thank you Goh." She said, smiling.

" You're welcome. I had to come back anyway. I have to go, work calls." He joked. Hime nodded and Goh left. Now she had to find Himeno. She could be anywhere, but the most likely place would be in the garden, since Goh said the kids were with her and Mawata. Hime began to walk, she'd find them, somewhere.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**A/N:** So, what do ya' think? Hope no-one was to miffed about the HayatexHime part, but I had to use one of them and the only person that it worked with was Handsome but Heartless. Could have used Sasame I suppose, but he wouldn't have got so worked up over it all. I apologise, but I may have to give or take a few chapters from the figure of sixteen I gave. You see, there was a big event suposed to happen in this chapter that didn't, so I had to shuffle some stuff around. Either way, I hope you're all still enjoying the story, and I've only got seven more chapters to go! (Aww nuts, seven is so many...) _Actually, in the revised version I predict about 18. So it's nine more chapters to go! Awww nuts, that's still a lot..._

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoForgetfuloOoOoOoOoOoOoO


	10. Borrowed Sorrows

**A/N:** In this author's note, I would like to officially apologise to Galaxy Guardian for using the same sort of storyline as she did. I assure her that it was not intentional and our fanfics differ in many ways. (I read her's, it's good.) And for all my faithful readers out there, this is chapter ten! (Duh. Point out the obvious why don't I.) I should be starting chapter twelve by now, but tonsilitous (Is that how you spell that?) prevented me from getting any further with my fic. For that same reason I haven't been keeping up with all your fics either. I'm sorry. Also I've been told that I'v been spelling Heyate wrong, so I'll try to spell it 'Hayate' but I may forget in places, please bare with me. Anyways, this is the chapter where we finally get somewhere! Read and enjoy! _Heh, I did spell Hayate wrong, and went back and changed it in 9 long chapters. I wrote his name so many goddamn times... --;_

**Disclaimer:** I don't Pretear or the characters. In this fanfic however, I do own Hime, Maikeru, Yurokai and dark evil lady that hasn't got a name yet.

**Chapter 10**

Princess of Sorrow

The dark figure of Hayate slunk through the gardens of Leafenia. The wind sword held loosly in his hand gleamed with all the colours of the flowers around him. He would find the knights and slaughter every one. He caught a streak of blue to his left. Peering through the branches of a willow tree he saw his double, his victim.

Hayate walked up to the door of Hime and Takako's house lost in thought. The dark 'It' hadn't appeared, and it would only be a matter of time. He kicked a stone off the path with his white boot. The whole situation had been dragging on a bit now. He wondered where everyone was, the whole place was so empty.

" Figures." He muttered, turning to leave.

X

Hime trudged on through the Awayuki gardens. The rain had begun to fall a few minutes before, and now she was soaked. She stopped for a moment to watch rain-drops form circular patterns in a puddle at her feet. Out of nowhere she felt something clamp onto her arms. She span round in fright only to see Maikeru's face beaming down at her.

" What are you doing out when it's raining like this? You'll catch a cold." She smiled.

" I was looking for Himeno." She replied quietly.

" Don't you think Himeno will have gone inside by now? At least she has more sense than you, silly." He gave Hime a playful nudge and she shoved him back.

" God, you're soaked! Here." He held out his jacket to her and she took it shyly. She wrapped it around her shoulders and felt a little warmer.

" Thanks."

" You're welcome." The rain slowly began to soak Maikeru just as much as Hime and he shivered.

" Brrr. It's cold! Can we find some shelter please?" Hime nodded but had no chance to say anything as Maikeru grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the little stream not far from them. Together they stumbled blindly across the bridge, and took refuge under the giant wind chime. Hime untangled her hand from his and wiped the rain from her eyes. When she looked up she could barely hold in a gasp. Maikeru's black shirt clung to his chest, and his hair was held against his face by the rain water. His laughing eyes looked out at the rain and he looked...What other word other than gorgeous? She smiled as he looked down at her.

" Now we're both soaked." She laughed lightly. Maikeru smiled, he turned but slipped, landing with an arm either side of her. A gust of wind played with his damp hair and set the chimes clanging against eachother. In that moment Hime felt there was nothing but the two of them and the rain.

" Maikeru?"

In the silence that followed their lips met. Maikeru pulled her close and put his arms around her. The wind blew the rain in, and Hime felt the drops pelt against her skin, but she didn't care. She had Maikeru's warmth, safe in his embrace she could do what she had never admitted she wanted to. Allowing her lips to part she held her own arms around him, feeling his wet shirt crumple beneath her fingers. He drew back, planting delicate kisses on her neck, making shivers course through her. They were lost in the rain.

X

Hayate walked away from the little house. The silent emptiness was eerie, and it just didn't seem right somehow. Hayate prepared to summon the way of light when he felt a pressure on his back. Slowly he turned to see his own face look back at him.

" Damn."

X

Himeno looked up to see Hime and Maikeru fall through the double doors, both soaked and grinning. Though the moment of passion was over, Himeno could tell something had happened between them, and for that she was happy.

" Why are you two grinning like that? I hope you havn't done anything I wouldn't approve of." She teased. Hime looked down to her shoes and a rosy blush adorned both of their faces. Out of nowhere there was a flash the other side of the room.

" Hi Sasame!" Himeno cried cheerfully. Sasame though, didn't return her smile. His serious expression worried them all.

" What's happened?" Maikeru asked. Sasame shook his head.

" We must go to Leafenia at once." He advised, openly worried. He opened the Way of Light, and they all pondered over what terrible horror awaited them.

X

They stepped out of the portal in front of the house. No-one could see anything out-of-the-ordinary, until a whirlwind of blue landed in front of them.

" Hayate! We have to help him." Himeno pleaded.

" I want to." Sasame assured." But I just can't tell which is which." Sure enough, the two fighters were exactly alike in every feature. Even the black marking was hidden.

" There has to be a way." Hime stated. She was positive that there was a solution, there always was.

" There is." Maikeru said. All of them turned to face him." We wait until the victor is decided, then check him to see if he is the real Hayate. If he's not, we kill him."

" But that means Hayate could die!" Himeno screamed.

" Yes. It does." Silence followed as the group watched the battle nervously. Neither figure seemed to give, and it looked like it would last forever. Thrust, parry, block. Thrust, parry, block. Maikeru realised the whole thing reminded him of the battle between Sasame and Hayate. He looked over to the knight of sound. He was stood on tenter-hooks, and every part of his face was etched with anguish. Gasps from the people around him drew his gaze back to the battle. Levitating happily in the air was a dark, hooded figure. The hood was attached to a long, black cape. The inside of which was a deep velvety purple. From the shadow of the hood, a few mischeivious black strands of hair escaped. Around her ivory neck, there hung a black choker, it had a delicate silver tear-drop hanging from it. The left side of the cape was flung loosly across one shoulder, revealing a light purple, knee-length dress. None of her leg was visible though, as black skirts fell down from the purple, covering her feet. A strange black tattoo curled around her slender wrist, and in her hand was a staff, not unlike Maikeru's own, that had perched on its top a black tear-drop. Like Takako, Hime felt this woman emitted the same echoing sorrow the Princess of Disaster had.

The woman threw her staff to one side and it dissappeared. She then sank down to the two wind knights, and put her hands on the shoulders of one, who froze instantly.

Hayate felt magic slide through his body. Making it numb momentarily, then replacing the nothingness with pain. His body arched in agony, and he cried out. He didn't care any more for dignity or pride, the pain was so desperatly terrible that he just wished to be free of it. From his terror filled eyes he saw a bolt of black shoot innocently through the air at his heart. He tried to bring up a shield, but the magic held him in place, his body, mind and powers were all frozen. Just as the bolt was to penitrate his shaking form he blacked out. The pain was gone and he sank to his knees with the relief of freedom. The place he was in was complete darkness, but he could see himself as if there was a spotlight shining upon him. Although when he looked up there was no light anywhere else. Suddenly, a mortifying scream filled his head. After a few moments another joined it, and this one was filled with sorrow, where the other had been full of pain. The disgusting smell of death surrounded him and he heard jeering voices under the screams, all he heard was hatred, betrayal, sorrow and agonising anguish. All the things the leafe knights worked to destroy filled his head, his very soul. He felt his heart break a million times over, and felt the heavy stone of misery weigh him down. All the unwanted emotions of mortals that had ever been felt coarsed through him. _I will die here._ He thought. _Never having admitted my love..._

X

The bolt of darkness had slid past Hayate easily, and sailed on into the chest of the imposter. Himeno cried out as the body fell to the ground, and ran over to it only to see it had the tattoo. Maikeru's attack had hit the right one.

" But look...She's still going to kill him!" Himeno pointed up to the woman, whose arms were now wrapped completely around Hayate's chest. Her head rested on his shoulder and she was smiling, her eyes were closed peacfully, but Hayate's whole form was convulsing like he had been poisoned.

" Do something won't you?" Hime screamed. She couldn't stand to see Hayate in such pain. Maikeru couldn't either, nor Sasame. They had both lost the chance to be with the ones they called family at one point, and neither wished to have the chance brutally snatched away again. With war cries they both launched themselves at the hovering forms in the sky.

X

Hayate saw the woman as a glimmer at first. Once he could see her through his blurred vision he knew she was the one causing all the emotional pain. He would get her to release him, he had to.

" Hello, silent knight." Her voice rang with the sound of thousands of glasses smashing, and he winced at its painful projection. With great difficulty he struggled to his feet, and defiantly stood before her. _If I'm to die, I shall at least do this thing some damage before I go._

" So, you wish to oppose me? Have I not given you proof enough of the terrible torture I can put you through? Then feel me!" She lifted her hand so the palm faced Hayate. A large mouldy-green coloured vine wrapped itself around Hayate, clinging to him. That, added to the emotions of six billion mortals broke down the Knight of Wind. It crushed him with a strength unimaginable, and he screamed out.

In Leafenia, the strange woman had dropped Hayate as Sasame and Maikeru charged. His body plummeted to the ground beneath, but he did not wake up.

X

Hayate was released by the plant eventually, and the voices receeded. He stood up again and looked into her eyes with all the compassion he could muster. He had to try somthing new, had to try being...sympathetic.

" You, have been through immense pain. But hurting others is only hurting you more." He stammered.

" Fool! Do not try to understand or sympathise with me. You and your knights took away from me the one glimmer of hope in my life! And for it you shall suffer!" She creamed back, her voice seeming to slice through Hayate's heart, leaving a raw open wound in its wake. He was thrown backwards and his head started to clang with the beat of his pulse. She stood over him, then bent down, using her nail to slice a long gash across his chest. It felt like it was on fire, and Hayate was delt a blow to the face before she finally left him, and he woke.

X

Himeno and Hime had rushed over to Hayate when he fell. Once they reached him, they tried their best to help, but there was nothing they knew of that would do. Hayate's face had twisted in what appeared to be agony, and his back had arched before a huge gash in his upper chest had begun to spread a cruel wash of blood across his body.

Maikeru and Sasame tried their best to fend off the woman, but she just laughed at them, before going back to whence she came. Both descended and hurried to Hayate and the girls. Maikeru looked past Sasame to see Hayate knelt in the long grass. The girls were stood not to far from them, and Sasame gave him a look of can-we-have-some-private-time-please? Maikeru happily obliged, he was never good with these sort of situations. Opening the way of light, he ushered the girls inside with joined hands. Before he followed, he took one last look at the pair. Sasame knelt by Hayate, and Maikeru saw a sparkling droplet fall from the darkened eyes of the Knight of Wind. Was he _crying? _

X

Unknown to everyone, Hime also saw the tear. The Way of Light closed on the scene. Sasame knelt by Hayate, embracing him, consoling a man who'd seen all the evil, sorrow and hatred in the world, and then been beaten for it.

_So, the heartless knight has a heart after all. And that heart...has just been broken._

**A/N:** Whoo, eventful chapter. There aren't enough words for pain damnit! I apologise for using the same words over and over, but the English language has to get a bigger vocabulary. (ooh, big word. Go me!) But seriously now, okay. I always ask you guys to review, right? I think you give great reviews. (Hey, didn't I have nine before? It's gone down to seven now. GODDAMMIT!) So it's not your fault at all. I think people arn't reading this 'cause I have a crap summary. So please, email me some summaries that you think will make people want to read this without giving it all away. Pretty pickle please? I'm desperate and would really appreciate your help. Thanks a bunch!

Forgetful XxxxxxxxxxxxX


	11. Misleading Signs

**Halloooo!** Right, I have no idea wether or not the leafe knights are brothers but they are in my fic. I'm sure no-one has a problem with that, but I just thought I'd better clear it up beforhand. Kay? I'd like to apologise (again) for all the mistakes in chapter 10. I don't know whether thay came up on the fanfic or not, but I read my version at home and it was full of mistakes so I thought I'd apologise again. Right, it looks like it's about to fall back into another boring part but no! We shall keep on going and I guess the evil will too. That's a clue by the way, anywhoo, enjoy! _Heh, no more mistakes in chapter 10 I hope. If there is, please tell me. I'm trying to make this typo-free._

_Thank you,_

_Forgetful_

**Chapter 11**

Princess of Sorrow

Sasame had never seen Hayate cry before. He supposed he never had cried, just stayed silent. But if that was the case then what had the strange, hooded sorceress done to him to make this happen? He would have to ask, but he just couldn't face it, he didn't think Hayate could cope with explaining either. So he just knelt there, his brother in his arms. Sasame made soothing noises best he could, but no matter how much he tried Hayate would not look at him. The wind knight was broken.

X

Hayate felt Sasame holding him. He'd never...never, just been held before. Whenever tears had come he'd shut them away, hid them away from the world. No-one needed to be burdened by his problems. But right then he just felt useless, frustrated at having this pain that he could not get rid of. His whole soul had been violated and filled with pain, and depression, by _Her._ She had shown him emotions he was never meant to feel.

X

Sasame looked up at the sky as tiny drops of rain fell from its immmense grey. Though Hayate was still obviously plagued by what the woman had done, Sasame was filled with releif and happiness just knowing he was alright.

_Click._

Sasame shot up. His earpeice glowed slightly and Hayate remained knelt on the ground, they were not alone. _Can she not leave us in peace? _

" Who's there? If you're here to harm us, then show yourself and do so!" Nothing answered his call, but, being the knight of sound, he was sure there was something there.

" Hayate?" He asked softly. No answer came.

" Hayate, there's something else here. I realise you probably don't want to fight but we should leave, get the others to deal with it." Again, only silence followed his words.

_Click._

" Hayate. We must leave!" Sasame's voice rose, he was scared. He'd only felt fear a few times before. But now he was scared because he knew he couldn't protect Hayate and hold off whatever it was, especially if the thing could do to him what the woman had done to Hayate. Giving up on talking Sasame knelt down and put his arm around Hayate's middle. Suddenly his arm was coated in ruby red, crimson creeping through his clothes. Blood. _Hayate wasn't too upset, he's injured..._ The knight of sound almost fell backwards as Hayate fell down. Catching his bleeding brother, Sasame began to open the way of light.

" Come on, come on..." He murmered. Impatient to be out of Leafenia.

_Click._

The doorway was open and Sasame dived through it, but did not arrive in the correct location. Instead of stepping out into the Awayuki gardens he found himself in a port-way of darkness. The 'port-way' was the distance between the two doors of the way of light, and he appeared to have stumbled in on the way of darkness. He had heard tales of such a thing but never had he imagined...

Hayate's body felt heavy in his arms and Sasame had no way of getting back to the light port-way. They were stuck.

_Click._

And whatever it was was stuck with them.

" Damn, what am I supposed to do now?" He looked around and listened carefully, but nothing reached him. All there was was swirling darkness, with only the occasional flash of red lightning breaking the silence. Complete silence, except...

_Click._

Sasame turned around the whole way. There was just nothing there! Sweat sparkled on his forhead and he shuffled Hayate around so his right hand was free. At least he could raise a shield, but would it go round him and Hayate?

_Click._

Suddenly all his magic was down, and he could no longer hold up the shield. He was defencless.

_Click._

Sasame was thrown to the floor. His tired arms let go of Hayate and he landed face down. When he pulled himself up, a crude image of his brother stood over the real one. The face was half Hayate's, half skull surrounded by black, burning flesh. Through its chest there was a hole, black surrounded it and black blood trickled from the wound, which did nothing it seemed to slow the creature down. It summoned the wind sword, but the blade was now scratched and chipped. But still sharp enough to be deadly. The creature held the sword above the form of Hayate, and let it slide through the air into blue...

" No!" Sasame let loose a swirld of sound. It hit the copy and half turned it round.

" But, that should have destoyed it..." He murmered disbelievingly. The creature let out a strangled scream, the broken flesh straining on its face. It walked towards Sasame, with every step its face became less human until it finally reached him, looking like something un-dead. Its black eyes studied Sasame with concentration, almost regret. Sasame's own eyes looked back in terror. The thing was _disgusting._ It had power that well exceeded his own, there was no way he could win. Even if he defeated it, there was still no way out...Hayate! He remembered, and cast a glance at his brother. Hayate had a shallow wound on his back now, presumably where the sword had caught when Sasame had attacked it, but other than that he appeared to be breathing.

"..." Sasame let out a strange sound as the sword butt rammed into his chest. He was once again thrown to the floor, and shot back some sound waves that did nothing. The creature began to gag. _Is it..._laughing _at me?_ He had no time to think though, as a sceletal hand shot out and pulled him up by the neck. He was held mid-air by a rotting grip that was slowly suffocating him. His own hand scratched and pulled at the wrist that held him, not even making it flinch. It gave him a sickening grin and the grip tightened. _Any tighter and it'll break my neck._ Out of the corner of his eye, Sasame saw a light. It grew larger and larger until he realised it was the way of light! Someone had re-opened it. He struggled, lashing out at the It until it released him. He ran at it, and it caught him. It thought it'd won-catching one alive might please its mistress- it grinned again until Sasame shoved and they both tumbled into the way of light.

X

Maikeru turned in shock to see Sasame grapple a..._Thing_ to the floor. A beam of light centered on the two of them and the thing screamed as the light wrenched it apart, limb by flailing limb. The last little bits of putrid darkness were burnt until they were no more. Maikeru rushed over to Sasame who was on his hands and knees, breathing heavily.

" Are you okay?" He asked, resting his hand on the sound knight's shoulder. Sasame gave a nod and then shot up.

" Hayate!" He shouted, looking round urgently for something. He lunged at a portal filled with darkness and ran inside it. Maikeru watched as he lifted a blue form off the floor, and began to carry it back towards the light.

" I'll help!" Maikeru called. He stepped through into the darkness and heard a noise behind him. The doorway was closing! He shot back into the light and watched the door of light slowly come down over the lapping darkness.

" Come on! It's closing, Sasame!" He yelled. Sasame hurried, Hayate's dead-weight in his arms slowing him to a walk.

" Do something to slow it down!" He shouted desperatly. Maikeru looked round for something to block it, but, of course, there was nothing in the portal.

" I know!" He said, clicking his fingers. A dark light filled the Port-way and the Dark Sceptre appeared. Maikeru rammed it between the floor and the door, it closed on it and the Sceptre bent. It wasn't going to hold, it was going to snap...Then, with a terrible creaking the door stopped. Maikeru sighed and Sasame was almost there. Sasame bent down and passed Hayate through into Maikeru's open arms. Maikeru looked down, Hayate looked so small then. The horrible creaking woke them both up. Sasame rolled through the gap and Maikeru yanked out the straining staff, letting the door slam down with a mighty bang.

They both sat for a while just getting their breaths back, and then Maikeru began to laugh. Sasame looked at him like he'd lost the plot, before smiling himself.

" That was close...And the expression on your face when I told you the door was closing was priceless!" Maikeru told him, doubled over with laughter.

" Well nothing could've compared to your face when I came out of the dark. Anyway, you didn't have to wrestle with a zombie!" Sasame shot back, grinning. Nervous laughter burnt off the adrenalin both had developed in the port-way.

" I guess we'd better get him some help." Suggested Maikeru, nodding towards Hayate in his arms. His lifeless form brought the seriousness of the situation back to them both. Sasame nodded and they both carried Hayate back into Leafenia.

" What was that zombie thing anyway?"

" It was the left-overs of the dark Hayate. You didn't kill it properly." Sasame said, concentrating on calling the other knights." They're coming." Suddenly flashes of red, white, blue and green came up all around them. Then the way of light opened once more to reveal Kei with Himeno, Hime and Takako. Takako ran to Sasame and they embraced eachother.

" Hayate! " Himeno covered her mouth in shock and then ran over to Maikeru and Hayate, with Hime close on her heels.

" What happened?"

" Are you alright, Maikeru?" Maikeru nodded.

" We have to help Hayate now, I don't know how long he'll last." He said, looking down at his unconscious brother.

" The police'll ask to many questions if we take him to the hospital." Kei thought aloud.

" Healing tree it is then." Goh concluded. Sasame and Maikeru nodded, and Maikeru stood up.

" Take my hand Hime, you'll enjoy this." Kei held out his hand to Himeno and Sasame to Takako, while Goh took Hayate. Maikeru jumped into the air, and Hime wondered what he meant by '_you'll enjoy this..._'

Suddenly the world around them blurred and Hime was plucked off her feet. It was like a wild roller-coaster ride, all around her was darkness. Only not menacing, it was dark, velvety blue that had tiny diamond-like stars studded into little areas that whirled like cart-wheels when they passed. A spinning white light twirled through the blue towards them, and Hime realised they where hurtling towards it at incredible speed.

" Hold on!" For the first time on the journey she noticed Maikeru flying through the tunnel with her. She remembered his instructions, _but hold on to whaaaa..._

They hit the light head on and Hime was, literally, thrown back into reality. Multi-coloured dots danced in front of her eyes and Maikeru had to steady her.

" Sorry. You'll get used to it after a while." He smiled at her, and then remembered what he was meant to be doing. Moving aside he let Hime see the giant tree behind him.

" Um...Explain?" She murmered.

" Oh, right yeah. Well, you know when we suddenly disappear and re-appear somewhere else?" Hime nodded dumly. " Well you just did that. Only I was holding your hand. We're still in Leafenia, just a different part, and...oh yeah! This is the big healing tree thingy." Hime smiled at his really bad explanation.

" By 'big healing tree thingy', he meant that tree." Sasame indicated to the giant tree." When a knight gets very badly injured in a fight we put them in there. It's a self healing orb."

" Kind of like an all in one hospital." Maikeru chipped in, as Goh went into the tree with the lifeless Hayate.

" Come on. Goh may need help." Maikeru walked off. His large strides putting some distance between him and Sasame and Hime, who followed behind more slowly.

" Don't worry." Hime looked up, she realised she hadn't talked for a while." The orb will heal Hayate in body and mind. He'll be fine." She looked at Sasame and he gave a warm smile. _They know what they're doing._

They finally reached the tree. A faint glow came from inside it and they entered. Inside was beautiful. Long, thin, bluish vines fell down the inside of the hollow trunk. They curled into a large ball when they reached the floor, the ball was all the colours of the rainbow at once, and was the source of the glow. Hime strained her eyes, and noticed something inside the ball. It was...Hayate! And, he was...

_Naked!_

Hime looked away, blushing. Clothes must get in the way of the healing process, she reasoned, none of the knights seemed bothered either way. To her left she noticed Himeno sat alone. That couldn't be a good thing. She walked over and sat down cautiously on the vines, a worried expression painted across her features.

" Himeno? Are you...alright?" _What a stupid question. Does she look alright? No!_ No answer came from Himeno, until she let out a small sob. Hime wrapped her arms around Himeno's delicate frame, and let her cry there. Any knights that met her gaze were hit with a look of this-is-none-of-your-business.

" Hush, it'll be alright. Hayate will pull through."

" It's not that. I'm the pretear! I should have prevented him from getting hurt at all!" Another violent burst of sobs burst from the shaking form of the pretear. Hime looked down at her in shock.

" You mustn't think that way. There was nothing any of us could have done." The two of them sat there in silence after that. Both thinking over everything, even though 'everything' was to much to comprehend.

X

Once Hime had got Himeno home, she wandered back to her house. Turning a corner she saw its cute little frame, and watched as a flock of Tipii's flew off the roof in shock. Hime also jumped, when she heard Maikeru's voice.

" WHAAAT?"

X

**A/N: **There you have it, my really weird, completely un-pretearish chapter. The only thing I'm going to say about Maikeru's terrified yell, is that it's going to make the next couple of chapters VERY funny. Anyway, R&R and I hope you're enjoying this fic.


	12. Another day, another lesson

**A/N:** Chapter 12. This one is funny, at least, it's meant to be...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pretear ect.

**Chapter 12**

Princess of Sorrow

Hime ran into the house, her mind screaming out all the possible horrors that could have happened to Maikeru. She slammed the door and bolted into the living room.

" Maikeru! What is it? What's happened?" She yelled. Kei and Maikeru looked at her. Kei's face astonished, Maikeru's one of frustrated surprise. After a moment he answered in a whining tone.

" They want to send me back to school!"

X

They were all sat around the kitchen as Kei tried, unsuccesfully, to explain.

" But you're a leafe knight, I didn't think you went to school." Hime said.

" We all did, we had to learn to read and write. And we had to get qualifications for our jobs." Maikeru told her, a look of desperation on his face. " I've already been! I went with all of you, before I died." _God, that was a weird thing to say..._

" Yes. But you never finished your education. You're still sixteen Maikeru, even if you remained as a spirit for a further sixteen years." Kei reasoned.

" He sure acts sixteen, possibly younger." Hime murmered. Maikeru shot her a dirty look before attempting to protest.

" But...!"

" Plus you can keep an eye on Himeno there. You will be in the same year after all."

" You'll be in my year! I bet it's really different from sixteen years ago." Hime smiled. Maikeru folded his arms in an act of surrender.

" I guess there's no way I can argue with the two of you. And it might be quite fun..." Suddenly a thought struck him. " What if there are still some of my old teachers there? They all think I'm dead right?"

" Don't worry, they all moved, died or retired." Kei calmed, picking up a bag from under the table.

" Good. Otherwise they might have asked for all that overdue homework I missed!" Maikeru laughed. Kei opened the bag and pulled something navy blue.

" Here's your uniform." Maikeru stopped laughing.

" Uniform? No way. I'm not wearing that. Since when did they get a uniform?"

" Since Himeno's father married Natsue. They both thought a uniform was smart and would help the students concentrate." Kei handed the clothes over to Maikeru, a slight smile on his face. " You'll have to try them on, in case they don't fit. Oh and by the way, you start tomorrow."

" Tomorrow!" Kei nodded, thrusting the clothes into Maikeru's arms.

" Go now. You have to see if it fits." Maikeru left the room moping and mumbling about 'stupid brothers. Think they're so much better than me...'. _I hate school._

X

Inside the giant hollow tree, Goh watched as the vines drew back, and the orb of light faded into wisps of faint colour. He caught Hayate as he fell, the orb no longer supporting him. Gently, he laid him on the ground, and watched as Hayate's cerulean eyes fluttered open.

" The healing tree? Was it that bad?" Hayate asked as his knight's uniform appeared around his freshly healed body.

" 'Fraid so." Goh nodded. Hayate sat up.

" How long have I been out of it?"

" Just a day." Goh stood up, helping Hayate up after him.

" A day, not to long at least." Goh murmered his agreement as the way of light was opened, and the two weary knights stepped through it.

X

Hime was once again in hysterics as Maikeru stood in his school uniform.

" I'm sorry." She giggled." You just look so strange." Maikeru frowned.

" You'll look more than strange when I'm through with you!" He lunged at Hime who darted out of the door. Maikeru followed and Kei could still hear his shouts even though they were both out of sight. He should his head, gold locks trembling and sighed.

" He'll never grow up."

Hime finally stopped running when she came across Himeno and the children. They had set up a picnic, and Hime sat down on the tarten rug with them.

" Yum, sandwiches." She pinched one and took a large bite from it.

" Why are you so out of breath Hime? Were you running?" Himeno asked. Hime grinned.

" Well, the knights have decided Maikeru needs to go back to school, since that incident happened preventing him from finishing his education. He'll be in our year, and Kei mentioned he could keep an eye on you at school."

" Yeah, and?" Himeno asked, her mouth full.

" He came out wearing the school uniform, and I just couldn't stop laughing! I guess it's because it's such a change from what he usually wears." Hime laughed to herself.

" I'm gonna' kill you!" A call came from not to far away.

" Uh oh." Hime muttered as Maikeru came round the corner. Immidiatly a burst of laughter came from Himeno and Maikeru blushed. Mannan snorted.

" You look younger than me! Not that I'm young." He announced.

" Little brat." Maikeru pretended to clip Mannan around the head, and he dodged easily. Eventually Himeno calmed down, and her insane cackling stopped.

" Aww, it's not that bad, honest. In fact, it looks quite good on you." She complimented, making Maikeru turn an even deeper shade of red.

" Yeah." Hime agreed.

" So. What's happening with this school thing?" Hime explained to Himeno. Eventually she finished, and Himeno's brief silence ended with it.

" It's gonna' be so great tomorrow! I'll have to introduce you to everybody. Although Yayoi will probably go on about how you're my forbidden love or something..." As Himeno's voice turned to mindless chatter, Hime, Maikeru and the kids sighed. That girl could talk for Japan.

X

The hooded woman sat upon a crooked throne, her head resting on one hand, as though she were bored.

" So, he failed. My creations appear too weak to go against the pretear. No matter, I can destroy her myself, her power is weak. Yurokai!" The tiny battered creature flew from the darkness lopsidedly, her wings bent. She nodded her head in a sigh of recognition.

" Go. Watch the new tactics of the knights, I have a plan that will complete my revenge." The fairy flew through the tiny circle in the wall, the only source of light in the whole room, that had once been a beautiful coloured window. The woman stood up and decended the steps at the foot of the throne, her cape moving like liquid behind her. She fingered some beads of glass that hung delicately from the ceiling, making them twirl and clash against eachother. Suddenly, anger overtook her and she swiped at them, sending the glass disks flying. They rolled around the room, settling in corners and catching the light from the empty window. With a swish of silk she turned and was engulfed by the darkness.

X

The next morning Hime got up, and put on her school uniform. It was strange, being back in it. She'd had to cut her hair and put make-up on, and come in as a new student, so no-one would recognise her.

" Good morning Takako." She beamed as toast was placed in front of her.

" Morning. Back to school then?" Hime nodded. _Unfortunately._ She thought to herself. Suddenly the door crashed open.

" Morning all!" Hime chocked on her toast, and had a coughing fit until Maikeru whacked her on the back.

" Thanks." She wheezed. Looking at the clock her eyes widened. " Oh my god, WE'RE SO LATE!" Grabbing her rucksack she charged out of the door, with Maikeru following close behind. Maikeru opened the way of light just outside the house, and they rushed through it. Once in Himeno's garden they found her, also late, and together ran to school.

Once in school, a teacher directed Hime and Maikeru to some seats.

" You may as well stick together for the first couple of days. Just to get used to the school." She stood up and addressed the whole class. " Today we have two new students joining our class. This is Maikeru and Hitomi. Can I have a voulenteer to show them around?" Around five hands went into the air, but Himeno's was waving around so violently she almost fell off her chair. There was no way the teacher could ignore her. With a sigh, Miss Atsui carried on.

" Alright. Himeno Awayuki, you will take them round in the mornings. And Tetsuo Karma, you will take them during the afternoon. I expect you all to be welcoming, and to steer them in the right direction during lunch and break, understood?" The whole class droned an agonising 'yes'. The bell went, a sign that class had begun.

X

Break eventually rolled around. After a lesson of History and then Maths, Hime and Maikeru came back to their form room, (A form room being a place one form/class goes at break, lunch and during registration. Just for anyone who doesn't know. I don't know if America has them...), to a crowd of classmates all wanting to see the 'new kids'. Hime eventually broke free from the crowd, but had to leave Maikeru submerged. A boy wlatzed up to her in a way that said 'I'm cool'. But which Hime though made him look rather like a pigeon.

" Hey there sweet-cheeks." Hime noticed Maikeru out of the corner of her eye, he wore a dark frown and was looking directly at her. Hime knew the boy, Tetsuo Karma. He was one of those guys that would date anything that moved.

" I'm not called sweet-cheeks. Bubble-boy." She used her old nic-name for him, and then immidiatly realised her mistake.

" H-hime?" He stuttered.

" Yes. Yeah it's me but look, you can't tell anyone about this, okay?" She begged.

" But, there are police looking for you. You're a missing person, and we all thought you were dead."

" Yes, I know. But look you have to promise not to tell _anyone_." Tetsuo looked thoughtful for a moment.

" Okay." He said.

" You swear?"

" I swear." They shook on it. Hime knew Tetsuo wouldn't give her away. She'd known him since they were in kindergarten together, and they were good friends.

" Thanks." She made her way back towards Maikeru. On her way she overheard a conversation.

" But don't you think he's cute?" It was a group of girls sat at a table near her.

" Definitely. Really cute."

" You can all back off cause he's mine." The little crowd erupted in giggles.

" He wouldn't like you Karo. Stop dreaming."

" Shut up!" More giggles.

" I bet he already has a girlfriend anyway." One of them said wistfully. _Too right he does. And if you lot make a move on him he'd better say no..._

" Hitomi!" Hime eventually woke up, and realised Himeno was calling her.

" Yeah sorry. I'm so not used to this name yet..."

" It's time for Art. The subject I am really no good at." Himeno grinned. Maikeru came up behind her, but didn't say anything.

" Come on. First day and we've already been late, we don't want to be late again."

X

**Bloopers and Funny Moments**

(This chapter only, because I felt like it. Though I may have to do some next chapter aswell.)

Goh watched as the vines drew back, and the orb of light faded into wisps of faint colour. He _almost_ caught Hayate as he fell.

" OW! You're meant to catch me!" Hayate growled. However, Goh didn't apologise, the laughter saw to that.

Hime was once again in hysterics as Maikeru stood in his school uniform. But this time, not because it looked funny...

" You left your fly undone." Kei pointed out. Maikeru turned a deep shade of red and legged it back into the other room.

" I'm gonna' kill you!"

" Uh oh." Hime muttered as Maikeru came round the corner, fell, and landed face first in a plate of sandwiches.

" Well that was clever." She said, while the kids all laughed and Himeno helped him back up.

Suddenly, anger overtook her and she swiped at them, making the whole lot...come crashing down on her head. Silence followed, until;

" I could do with some help. Please?" The whole hall erupted with laughter, and it was caught on camera too!

Once in Himeno's garden they found her, also late, and together ran, fell, and landed in an entangled heap on the floor.

" Today is just not a good day for me." Maikeru pointed out.

" This is Maikeru and Hitomi. Can I have a vodka..?" With shock Miss Atsui realised what she had just said.

" Mind on something else by any chance, Miss?" Maikeru winked.

" Okay, take two..."

**A/N:** Well there you go. Another week, another chapter. Please R&R. Forgetful.


	13. Books on bookshelves, on walls of books

A/N: Well, hasn't it been a while? Would you believe it, I updated! Also, Maikeru has become my muse. Although he's slightly more evil as a muse than he ever was in this. Anyway, thanks to the plan of the story I had rotting in a corner of my computer and an inspirational review (Thanks for that Ryo) I finally moved onto chapter 13. The ending chapter to this has been written for almost _two years_! --; My my, well, now it's time to fill the void between now and the end. See if you can notice any changes in my writing style after all this time. :wink:

Disclaimer: As always, pretear does not belong to me. Only Hime, Yurokai, creepy hooded lady, Maikeru, Tetsuo and Miss. Atsui belong to me, THEY'RE MINE! Heh heh...

**Chapter 13**

Princess of Sorrow

As the school day ended, the three not-so-normal students grabbed their bags and moved on to the library. Maikeru had to fight his way through the crush of students, all packed into the small locker space like sardines. It would be so much easier not to have to go through the locker bays to get to the library, especially at the end of the day. It was helpful he didn't have claustrophobia. (s/p?)

" Maikeru! Hurry up!" As he squeezed his now battered body through the moving human wall he noticed Hime and Himeno waiting by the Library doors impatiently. Hime was tapping her foot against the nylon flooring.

" Sorry, got a little delayed in the rush." Flushed, he barely breathed out the words thanks to broken ribs. (AN-Or what he considered to be broken at any rate. Don't men always over-react:grin:)

" Never mind, let's go."

Inside the library it was quiet, dull and lifeless. The huge student body the school usually boasted were now cheerfully heading home, leaving the silent place of learning alone for the weekend. Hime headed straight for the books, there was one she'd wanted to read for a while and she hoped that good old Awayuki High would have it in. Himeno began to log in to one of the library computers, while Maikeru stood stiffly by her side.

" Something wrong, Maikeru?" She asked, typing in her password. The keys clicking were the only sound in the place, it was slightly unnerving.

" Nah...I guess I just don't like libraries. There's something about them. Too quiet I suppose, empty." He explained, glancing round wearilly. Books were fantastic, but he'd rather buy them from a bookstore than get glared at by hook-nosed librarians who thought him a nuisance.

" That's odd, I don't mind them. I'd probably like them more if I was quieter though." Himeno grinned and laughed her bubbly laugh. " As it is, I think I'm naturally loud!" Smirking, Maikeru agreed wholeheartedly. He glanced at the screen as Himeno pulled up the internet.

" What are you doing anyway?" He asked, peering at what appeared to be a map of a large town.

" I'm marking where the demon larvea show up for Kei. He's looking for some sort of pattern, and he didn't have time at work to do it himself." She typed in a few things and red circles showing the demon larvea popped up in various locations on the map. They appeared randomly scattered across the map, except for one area which was to coincidental to ignore. He put his finger on the screen over the area. There were no red circles anywhere within a twelve mile radius of it, and the name was like a beakon to the two of them.

Awayuki Chapel.

" It seems Kei's idea was a good one." Maikeru mumbled. "We're going back to the church where Takako began this whole thing sixteen years ago, unfortunate building."

" Hey, what're you two up to?" Having not found her book, Hime rounded the corner to the sight of the flashing map. "And what's with the blinking?"

" It's a map of all the attacks by larvea. And they all avoid one place." Hime peered over Himeno's shoulder.

" The church?" She asked.

" The church." Maikeru echoed, picking up his bag. Himeno closed the window, face set in a thoughtful expression, mulling over what it could mean. _Takako is definitely on our side now, she'd never turn back. She loves Sasame. She's loved now, I know she's happy and she was there at the same time as the woman once, wasn't she? I think so. _Himeno couldn't quite remember. She thought Takako and the woman in purple had been in the same place at one point. _Then who is it? And what does the church have to do with it, if anything?_ When she came out of her musings she realised she was no longer in the library. Apparently she'd been dragged by the others out of the school and the cold weather had shaken her out of her thoughts. Now she walked down the road toward home, the duo beside her silent.

X

" Do you feel that?" Sasame asked the three knights beside him, earpiece glowing as he picked up on some form of activity.

" Yeah. Something big." Kei replied, eyes suddenly containing a worried glint.

" Should we go check it out?" Asked Goh. "Sasame's never been wrong before..." Suddenly Hayate disappeared in his signature blue flash. " I guess that means yes then." Goh finished, scratching his head.

" Where about is it?" Kei asked.

" The church. It feels like it's near the church."

O.O

When they arrived in the street outside the church, all four were on guard. At least the children were meeting Himeno, they wouldn't be near this new beast.

" What's going on then?" Mannen's loud voice sliced through the air. Spoke to soon it seems.

" We're not sure..." Goh replied, looking round for any sign of unrest.

" I felt something dark, really dark." Himeno's voice was quiet, and she held out her hand. "We may as well be ready." Hayate nodded back to her and took it, and it wasn't two second before he was gone and Himeno was in the outfit of the wind pretear.

They began to walk onwards, toward the church, when a chill coursed through all of them like a bad omen.

" What the...-?" A cold, dark wind cut Maikeru off. It blew leaves down the street, draining the colour from them as they went. Trees and animals around them wilted and collapsed.

_:Himeno, it isn't the Church...:_ Hayate suddenly realised.

" Hayate says that it isn't the church." She related to the rest of the group.

" Then where...?" Sasame began, but Maikeru interrupted him.

" The library." As one they ran down the street, toward the place of learning. When they finally saw its regal pillars and huge magestic steps, they found their view marred by something that had certainly never been there before.

A swirling leafe vortex.

It was a fat, ugly stain in the middle of Awayuki town, sucking in the life and leaving only death. Maikeru's brows furrowed into a frown.

" We can't stop it from here, any attack would go right in and out to wherever this thing leads." He observed, starting towards it cautiously.

" Then there's only one way to stop it, and that would probably be to find its source, the creator. I think we can safely assume that person is inside the building." Kei continued, moving with more confidence forward after Maikeru, and beckoning the rest to follow after they'd all stopped un-ceremoniously at the sight of the vortex. He soon caught up with the wind knight and they led the way into the seemingly innocent library, which was like any library should be. They found themselves in a perfectly ordinary reception, the receptionist slumped at her desk, leafe gone. Passing her quickly they moved on to the first room of books on bookshelves on walls which held more bookshelves of books. It was pretty safe to say they'd all most likely end up preferring television after this episode.

" Nothing's disturbed." Himeno breathed as she noticed a girl collapsed over a homework project. Other visitors were lifeless next to stacks of books, but only a few, and the silence bore down on them like so many knawing gnats. Eating at confidence and resolve.

" You're right. It's like nothing ever happened. Maybe it was the church after all." Goh wondered aloud.

" No." Sasame quickly threw the notion aside. "There is something here. And it's been here a while, that woman from Leafenia comes to mind." The next room was large, and relatively empty of books and desks. That was an odditty in itself, what was the purpose of an empty room? They moved slower, taking in everything, missing not the slightest movement and all were alert immediately when it happened.

X

It was just a darkness that seeped into the room, a shiver that claimed the skin. Hime stayed at the very back, knowing full well that she was out of her depth and yet unable to leave everyone there alone. Or return through the silent library by herself, that was almost as unnnerving as the darkness that had now become a rolling fog. It lolled mid-way between the floor and ceiling, mocking them in their unstable position. The knights had their weapons drawn and eyed it up, weighing how much of a threat it could be.

" You shouldn't be here." A voice sliced through the fog, but no speaker could be seen. It wasn't the cold voice of the cloaked woman, but of someone younger, more like an eight year old. She sounded sad, and scared, but mostly resigned. It wasn't a voice that an eight year old should have possessed.

" Who are you, what do you want and why shouldn't we be here?" Sasame challenged, keeping his bow and arrow knocked and ready to use. (1) The voice sighed, but the fog began to clear.

" I am Yurokai, a simple servant. I want you to leave, and that is because if you don't then my mistriss will get angry. She isn't nice when she's angry." In front of them, shrouded in fog, a young floating girl appeared. She had wings, and once the fog had completely moved to form two walls on either side of the hall they could make her out more clearly. It wasn't a girl, but a doll, one with fairy wings and a tattered dress. Her eyes told of many more years than eight though, and each wondered what this little thing had been through to give herself such a gaze.

" Please leave, or she will make you."

XxxxxxxxxxX

Well, after a while it's finally getting close to the climax of the story. I'm sorry this was short, but I wanted to post quick and I do seem to be making everything shroter now-a-days. Maybe I can make it even less chapters than I predicted, considering how much I squeezed into this short chapter? Ah well, it'll end when it ends and not a moment before. Apply Dapply, little brown mouse, went to the cupboard in somebody's house...

(Yes, I am insane :evil grin:)

(1) I gave Sasame a bow because it's easier to write about the battle if they all have weapons they can see, touch and use solidly. If anyone minds then I'll change it. Kay?

Forgetful XxX


	14. The Mechanical Heart

Ahem, well, yes, welcome to another installment of Princess of Sorrow. Corny title, I know. I guess I have to apologise AGAIN for not updating this in a while, although it was definitely quicker than the last update, ne? My only excuse is that it's the holidays and I was in Wales. I live in the heart of England, btw, so I wasn't exactly able to get many of my fics moving along. Either way, forgive and forget for the next chapter. Oh! And please leave a review saying which spelling you would prefer I use: Goh or Go. I can't decide and then end up making it messy by changing my mind. Thanks, and it'll be Goh until someone tells me they prefer the other spelling.

And the sheer amount of you that have me as a favorite author for this fic is unbelievable, thank you! But REVIEW DAMNIT! This fic will not, WILL NOT survive without input. This chapter was due the week the last chapter was posted. _months ago._ But no-one reviewed. Come on, I wrote 1991 words for you, you can at least leave me a sentence.

Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. 'Cept Maikeru, Hime, Yurokai, Matsuei...blah blah blah...

**Princess Of Sorrow**

Chapter 14-The Puppet

Maikeru eyed the puppet warilly, knowing full well it wasn't simply a doll. Having been trapped in an object for half of his own life, he found it easy to tell there was a soul behind the deep glass eyes, one that was withered and cowed.

" You." He directed at it."You don't want to be here, do you?" Maikeru asked with a certainess. The others looked at him oddly, but he didn't break eye contact with the creature floating oh so innocently off the ground ahead of them.

" I am owned, owned I am." It replied. Cogs inside turning and creaking as it leant its head to one side. No, that wasn't fair, the doll was a girl in spirit and form, it was a 'her' not 'it'. Her dress drifted around her creamy-white legs. Porcelain skin cracked in places.

" You didn't answer me." Maikeru pressed. "Will you stop us, if we try to continue forward? Do you want to be here?" The puppet, Yurokai, bowed her head with a screech as the china scraped against itself.

" I do as my mistress pleases, I have no wishes. I am owned, owned I am." He shook his head in pity at the creature, and Himeno moved to walk onwards.

" Hayate and I agree, we think we should keep going." She turned to face the floating doll. "We will find a way to get you a will of your own...Yurokai. This evil shall be dealt with, and you can come live in Leafenia, with us." She smiled, then beckoned to the rest of the group to move. Goh shrugged, and just as they all began to walk again, the fog made a wave that reared up to block the doorway.

" I can't let you." Yurokai still had her head bowed, and black, oily tears ran down her face. "My Mistress only wants two of you, the rest, she says, must die." She explained. Sasame narrowed his eyes.

" Who does she want?" He asked, bow up and aimed at the puppet's heart, if it had one. Perhaps a mechanical one of rusted keys that jarred and skittered with intricate swirling designs.

" Himeno, Pretear, and Maikeru, Knight of Darkness." As soon as the words left her mouth, the room was filled with a resounding voice. This time, they could tell its owner wasn't with them, but far away.

" Himeno and Maikeru indeed. I will crush your Pretear, fools, and don't think the prophecy escaped my notice. I can use it to my advantage, and you will all pay for what you have done, for destroying my one light of happiness in a sea of tears!" She laughed, but the sound was that of wailing women, mourning their dead. Of several car crashes and waves smashing onto rocks at the bottom of cliffs. "The prophecy tells us everything. It's even in this room!" It began to cackle, and the walls began to glow a faint yellow which suddenly blazed into firey life. The words were rhyming, and they hummed around the hall in a million voices. Old, young, baritone, high, men and women and children.

"Knowledge's heart will release eternal night. And Happiness' break will begin the fight." They called desparingly."The Dark Knight from tales of old, with his lance held high, face fierce and bold.

" Will open the doors to a flood of regret. Just to escape, to hide and forget.

" And Happiness' laugh, shrill and mad, is secretly hiding something empty and sad.

" And as we know it, the world will end. The cosmos will crumble, time will bend.

" And the shining light that kept darkness at bay, will be snuffed out,

" There's no other way." They finished, but began again and again and again and repeated it all, overlapping and interrupting eachother. Constantly going and merging into one huge thrum of sound. Kei could still make out some mumbled words, and he found his mind repeating it. The prophecy that had been drummed into all the knights' heads since they were about three.

The puppet had covered her ears, mechanical eyes squeezed shut, and as swiftly as the voices came, they ceased.

In the silence that followed, Maikeru grit his teeth. Most of the eyes in the room were on him, minds wondering about the prophecy, doubt reserfacing.

" Yurokai, let us pass. I have business with your Mistress."

" Only two. Only two. Only two can pass on through." The puppet rhymed, her tears were gone, her eyes were simply glass. The soul once seen had vanished. "The rest must die. The rest must die. And take the place of Yurokai." Sighing, Maikeru rubbed his temples.

" Are you going to kill us? Or perhaps just float there for the rest of eternity?"

" Make your decision, dark master, and then we shall see."

" I choose to speak with your mistress."

" Very well. Go to Hell." She did nothing. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the promised death, or at least an attack. When none came, Maikeru got irritated and stepped forward in time with Himeno.

It was then they heard the whirring. The clinking and clanking and scraping of rusty metal, of cogs and levers. From every dark archway, all the shadowed corners, creatures made of clockwork lurched up, held together by nothing but sheer will. They were everything from gold to bronze, some even had machanical wings, and Hime thought she might have seen something like them in a video game.

They advanced, only a few coming above the knights' heads, the majority only just above waist height. Each weilded sharp metal, clock hands, broken spokes.

" Hime, stay back." Kei ordered, jumping into the air. Shin went to her, and held her hand as his brothers dived into battle. Himeno began to plough her way toward the puppet, knowing it was she who controlled the army of cog men. She smashed one apart and then crushed another with the wind sword, and although she new they were just reforming behind her, she moved onwards.

_" I can't kill them!"_ She thought.

_"Just keep going for the puppet."_ Hayate calmed her. _"If there's any way to stop these things, it's her." _The other knights were having the same difficulty. Each would reduce a group of cog men to junk, only to watch them pull themselves jerkilly back together.

" Goddamnit!" Goh cursed, dodging a lance of steel rushing toward his head. " There's no end to these things!" Sasame used his bow from the top of the ornate doorway, clearing a path for Himeno. _Just a little further._ Letting loose another arrow, he watched as it impaled the heart of one of the cog men. Out fell a crystal, and it smashed on the floor. The cog man didn't get back up.

" Get the the core! If you smash the crystals, they don't revive!" He called to the rest. They nodded, they understood, but it was difficult to get to the core of a being who was desperately trying to kill you and felt no pain. He notched his bow again, took aim, and let the arrow speed toward another. It stopped in midair, and fell to the floor uselessly.

" What...?" The air shimmered, the space bending, warping, until the cloaked woman from Leafenia appeared. She looked up at him slowly, piercing him with her eyes.

" You should not bring attention to yourself, clever knight. You brothers would have been overrun if not for your observations. This makes you a threat. Prepare to be illiminated." Although he dived to the side, the blast still caught him. And it came again and again, each one pinning him to the wall so he couldn't run, couldn't fight back, couldn't even _move._

It only stopped when a scream was torn from the woman's throat.

" _You."_ She hissed. "You are lucky I want your services!" Maikeru was in front of him, shield up and sceptre drawn. " Now I have two knights diverting my attention. Did I not warn you that was a bad move?" She sent a pulse of power toward the doorway, and it buckled. It began to collapse, taking the unfortunate sound knight with it. Maikeru sped toward the rubble, and caught Sasame without much grace.

" It's alright, I can fly." Sasame assured him, forcing his body to respond and his powers to work. Shakilly he drifted a little away from his brother, and nodded. "She's not happy." Maikeru looked behind him at the woman, currently shooting random beams at Goh, who was winding her up even more by pulling faces in her direction. Sasame pulled his bow from the air, and let fire an arrow at her. It struck her shoulder, and she span round enraged, clutching at it.

" Do you roaches never die?" She cried, dark flames erupting from the base of every pillar.

" She's got a temper on her." Maikeru muttered. " I did die once, but hey, I'm always the exception." He called back, spearing the scepter in her direction. She dodged it easilly, and it clattered to the marble floor. Maikeru just willed it back into his hand and blocked her next attack with it. "For the next world threat, you're not shaping up so well."

She screamed in pure rage, and threw fire, lightning, ice and stone toward him. The room's walls buckled, exploding out of themselves, and several cog men were obliterated in the process.

" I'll show you what shape I can make!" Himeno reached the puppet just as the whole room shook. Ignoring the quaking beneath her feet, she studied the back of Yurokai the puppet. A key protruded from between her shoulder blades. This she seized, turned and pulled out. The puppet fell limp to the floor.

The cog men followed suit, an invisible wave resonating from where Himeno stood knocking them all down. Not a one got back up.

" This shape you will fear in Limbo, even after you are dead and gone!" The woman raved. " You will fear Matsuei, you will fear the Princess of Sorrow!" She didn't even notice the remains of the cog men, the destruction of her servant. Her eyes were fixed intently on the one remaining archway. The one archway still intact.

Through it came her ace, the Crystal Knight.

YAY! Review, go on, for my birthday? It's on the 27th of Nov! Come on, pwease?

Love you all,

Forgetful


	15. End of the World As We Know It

AN: This chapter has existed on three computers for four years. It's finally got to the net! I'm FINISHED! Praise the lord, now I just have to get the rest of stories to their climax. Thanks for your reviews, your hits and your support!

PS: Matsuei is pronounce 'mat-soo-ee' not like Natsue at all. XD

No, I was really thinking about it, I made up the name on the spot really.

**Princess of Sorrow**

The Last Stand

The Prophecy

Knowledge's heart,

will release eternal night.

And Happiness' break,

Will begin the fight.

The Dark Knight,

From tales of old,

With his lance held high

face fierce and bold.

Will open the doors

to a flood of regret.

Just to escape,

To hide and forget.

And Happiness' laugh,

Shrill and mad,

is secretly hiding

something empty and sad.

And as we know it,

The world will end.

The cosmos will crumble,

Time will bend.

And the shining light

That kept darkness at bay,

Will be snuffed out,

There's no other way.

There was no emotion whatsoever behind the eyes of what Matsuei had dubbed 'the Crystal Knight'. He was decked in silver armour, with sword like something from a video game in his hand and long white hair cascading down his back. Despite his name, none of the knights would ever believe that something with such soulless eyes was one of their own.

He looked at them, systematically noting every aspect about them as they hoverred, waiting for his move. Matsuei cackled manically as the knight stepped toward her, crushing the remains of the cog creatures and leaving a path of carnage even before he began the fight. She glided over to him and put her hand on his arm, smiling slightly.

" This is my brother, Ran. When you so selfishly destroyed the Tree of Fenril, the tree my Mother was sustaining with her very life blood, you killed both her and him, despite saving that worthless runt Takako." She stopped, face twisted from a smile to grimace of hatred. " I revived him, though he cannot speak, can barely even think despite his lust for revenge for all my family's pain and suffering! He lives to kill you for what you have done, and I live to help him achieve that goal. Ran, destroy them as they did our family and the Great Old Tree!" With that order, the knight suddenly turned and moved with a speed unimaginable toward the neerest knight, toward Kei. The light knight had no time to move, and was flung backwards by the shoulder charge. When Goh flew down to help him, the crystal knight slashed at him with his sword, only missing thanks to Goh's hastilly erected shield. The impact jarred Goh's arm to the point he thought his bones would shatter, and he heard more than saw Himeno attack with a battle cry, and knew then that the battle had begun.

Hajime, Shin and Hime watched from the sidelines, all fearful for the lives of those they loved. Hime knelt down and hugged the angelic little boys hanging onto her hands, to comfort both them and her, she knew. Shin cried into her shirt, and she watched as the knights got pushed back time and time again.

They were getting defeated as though they were flies on a windshield, battered and flung, and yet still getting up. Why did that woman have to _do_ this? If she'd been through so much suffering, surely she wouldn't want to impose it on anyone else? And although just standing there was driving her crazy, Hime knew it would be over for her the moment she got even a step closer to that new knight or Matsuei. It frustrated her to no end.

Maikeru was caught by Goh when he was thrown backwards.

" Thanks, but there's no way we can beat him!" He shouted over the crumbling of a nearby pillar.

" There has to be something; where there's a will, there's a way." Goh replied, scanning the area. Blows just glanced off the crystal knight's armour, but the armour had to come off. He scrutenized the suit, picking out dents and scratches and..."There! Aim for the hinges on the right side of his breast plate!"

" Get to the heart, right?"

" Exactly!" They concentrated their attacks on those hinges, still dogding and ducking the blows and swipes at them. Maikeru got hit at least another five times, but dragged himself up again. Ignoring the pain to rhythmicly attack again and again until, eventually, the first hinge broke. Seeing his chance, Mannan formed an ice spear and threw it straight and true towards the unprotected chest.

" Ran!" Matsuei shrieked, but she needn't have bothered, as the knight turned and caught the spear before it even touched him. In one swift moment he turned it and sent it on a death charge toward its owner. Mannen never had the chance to move; and it thrust itself into his stomach and pinned him to the wall.

Hot red blood crept down the library wallpaper, and in the silence Matsuei snickered.

" Mannan!" The cry from hime shattered the eerie spell and she ran toward him.

" You bastard!" Goh cried, charging the crystal knight with a force fuelled by rage. He was thrown backward and the knight took aim again to finish the young one off. He charged with the sword toward the little white-haired boy, and in that instant Hime knew she had to save him. She jumped.

Into the path of the enraged crystal knight.

Hayate and Himeno jumped out from behind her at the last moment, stopping the knight in his tracks and ramming their sword into the heart the armour had uncovered. A trickle of blood fell from his lips, and Himeno smiled triumphantly.

It was the crack of bones that wiped that smile away. Rapidly turning, she saw Hime collapse, neck at an unnatural angle, and the outstretched arm of the crystal knight getting weaker and falling.

They hadn't stopped the knight fast enough. Maikeru had seen it, knew it, and run to stop it, but he wasn't fast enough. Even with superhuman powers _he couldn't get there fast enough._ He stood stock still, a statue in the carnage, watching as she hit the floor, hair fanning out over her unmoving face.

" Hime..." Though he tried to speak, his voice came out quieter than a whisper. Black eyes didn't notice the crystal knight fall, defeated, or the Princess of Sorrow cry out and then snap, laughing like a lunatic at the death of her only family; the death of his only family.

(AN: The is the part I wrote three years ago or more, don't blame me for it being bad.)

Maikeru looked at Hime one last time. He let the only emotion that had been spared quench his anger, the only thing in the world he had left - his sorrow.

The sorrow that threw his soul into oblivion, letting his laughter fade and die. The sorrow that always put the sunlight right in front of his face, yet however far he ran he still remained in the shadows. The sorrow that made his own brothers fear and exile him. The one chance at happiness, at a life without discrimination and pain that had just fallen to the floor screaming. It was all thanks to that sorrow. The whole prophesy had come true. The death of innocence, the laughter of evil...it was all there.

All of the things that were meant to destroy his soul had played their parts. Suddenly he didn't care about defying the rules, about twisting Fate and proving Destiny wrong. Suddenly, he just wanted to be in Hime's arms again, he wanted to be cared for and loved, just to be accepted...

Sasame saw it first. The black aura that surrounded Maikeru's shaking form, the dark tears that streaked his face.

" Kei! The prophesy!" The knight of light turned, in one swift look he'd taken in the scene and put up a sheild. Sasame and Hayate did the same. Goh finally realised what was happening. He got up from his kneeling position on the floor, and ran towards Mannan. Tears blinding his eyes, he pulled the spear from the little boy and caught his still form. Hurriedly bringing him back, he laid him on the floor.

" We have no time to tend to him now, you have to help us with the shield, quickly. Don't let him leave it, we'll just have to hope."

Maikeru was alone. He could feel the tears and held out his hand. A dark black pool formed in his palm, the beginning of the whole thing, the darkness not even a Princess of Sorrow could bring about. A single tear, brimming with sorrow yet laced with hope, a single tear that could destroy the whole world.

He could feel the terror, the pure depression and evil, ink-like black well up inside him, it felt wrong, he wasn't meant to be the vessel for such things. But he was.

" Shouldn't we try to quench the bleeding? At least try...-"

" No, you simply have to stay alive." Sasame was immovable, and Goh took one last look at the little ice knight, his eyes filled with tears and he tore away from both Sasame and the image. He put up his own shield. " Thank you Goh. Himeno, can you put up a shield too?" Himeno gave a curt nod and glanced over to the Princess of Sorrow who was in fits. Her whole body wracked with laughter that rang out throughout the hall.

" Disgusting." She muttered.

_:Let's do this Hayate.:_

_:Let's go Himeno, good luck.:_

_:You too.:_ The last shield was erected just as a black orb engulfed Maikeru. Unlike Mawata he could still be seen, his eyes clamped shut and tears still running freely down his face, staining his cheeks. Hayate was amazed, amazed at how he could still look so innocent through all the chaos. He not only feared his little brother, he pitied him.

Maikeru both saw and felt the orb surround him, but he only saw everything through a haze by then. He was numb to all feeling and desperately clung to life. Something in his mind stirred, he couldn't do as the prophecy suggested! He couldn't murder all those people...

Kei watched sadly as Maikeru's face began to clench in pain. He could tell his little brother was fighting, he was throwing off the power in waves, he was trying up till last to defy the prophecy. Kei sent his mind out to him, filled with encouragment and sympathy. He would send his strength, he would stay behind Maikeru every step of the way. The orb was growing bigger, expanding until it reached the edge of the shield. It wavered, and for a heart stopping moment looked as if it would stop there, but it continued. Continued to devour the shields and their creators. Inside the little bubble of light the knights struggled to keep the shields up, once inside the darkness it were as though they were in a huge black whirlwind, one that sucked everything into oblivion. Himeno looked once more to the Princess of Sorrow when she began to speak.

" You think you can defeat me with darkness little Maikeru? Perhaps I should take you on as my knight, so recklessly destroying human life! Come to me, my darkness!" And indeed the darkness came. It marched on toward her and she lapped it up, at first seeming to use it as a power charge. At first that is.

Suddenly her face changed, something was wrong. She buckled and landed on her knees and her jaw became set as though she were experiencing pain. A sad, melodic voice sang out over the winds.

" Let all who experience Sorrow as I, perish. Let any cold, unloved heart fall into the void. Let all souls laced with dispair be dragged into the abyss. Let Earth tremble as I tremble, and let the cold I feel touch every heart!" Yurokai cowared behind the knights, she watched with a heavy heart as a paper-thin sea of darknes sliced like a sword blade through the walls of the library. The room became filled with screams suddenly, anguished screams of pain and inner emotional termoil. She realised they were from outside.

" Anyone who feels Sorrow...Maikeru no!" Himeno screamed out helplessly with a clumsy tongue to the god of death. He was writhing like a snake, as if to free himself from the orb, as though he was fighting with himself to stop the bloodshed. His mouth twisted in a scream but nothing came out, the roar of the winds died, leaving only sickening silence.

" No, I cannot be defeated...by my...my own element!" The Princess of Sorrow cried, her hands were held up, palms facing the ceiling. He whole pose looked like prayer, but she was far from it. Two balls of blackness, which looked more like grey next to Maikeru's, appeared in her palms. She threw them at the ball, and they hit sending Maikeru reeling backwards. Two tendrils of black shot out at her, twisting round her struggling form. And they crushed her.

They crushed her body and her mind. She fell to the floor, broken, and they retreated.

Some good though, a single ray of hopeful light shone through the orb. Maikeru pulled at it, willing it to grow stronger, using sheer persuasion to make the gap wider. He would shatter the ball, he would save all those people he was injustly killing!

" NO!" An ear shattering scream rang between the bookcases, smashing the library windows. The darkness contracted, pulling itself back into Maikeru like an elastic band. Hitting him with a snap.

He'd done it, he'd stopped the onslaught of darkness. Now, he could die, his death had been earned.

Kei watched his brother take all the darkness back into himself, the tears had stopped. Only salty pathways, reminders of the pain, remained on Maikeru's deathly pale cheeks. Kei lowered his shield, the dark had passed. Maikeru stopped hovering. He plummetted to the floor, but Himeno caught him. Hayate un-preted with her and knelt at his side.

" He stopped it." Kei stated simply. He felt hot tears in his eyes, though he couldn't feel the sadness in his mind.

" By giving himself to the darkness he prevented it from taking the lives of people..." Hayate said. He had Maikeru's hand in his own. "Hime was a part of the prophecy to, the shining light it mentioned, the years the darkness would be kept at bay by the shining light...She stopped him by giving him happiness."

Sasame checked Hime's pulse, but found none. She was dead. He also checked the Princess of Sorrow, but there was no way she could have survived that.

Finally, he checked Maikeru's. His voice rose as he called to the others. "There's a pulse! Himeno...Could you?" She nodded, and, taking Hayate's hand, preted. Together they threw their remaining strength into a flood for one cause, each praying. Each hoping...wishing.

With a shuddering breath Maikeru's chest began to visibly rise and fall and Mannan's childish eyes opened sleepilly. Goh hugged the boy and Sasame ruffled his hair, checking for any injuries on both the ice and unconcious dark knights. When none were discovered, wan smiles graced the group, wan because even with their revival too much had been lost.

Outside, the world was waking. Millions all over the Earth had died, but with the darkness defeated they woke up, and stood up, wondering just why they'd been lying in the street. The world was saved, but at the cost of the life of someone never meant to be there...

Hime.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

DONE. And Mannan was supposed to die too, to make me only killing an OC seem less crappy, but I had so many people threatening my life with blunt objects that I had to abandone that idea. Anywho, it's over, and the Mary Sue that was Hime is go-o-o-o-o-ne! Thank you for reading (again) and now go check out Omnicat! An uber awesome internet friend of mine who seems to have recently fallen in love with this show!

Ja ne for the last time,

Forgetful


End file.
